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ot  Princc, 


BV  3797  .M7  M7  1884 
Moody,  Dwight  Lyman,  1837- 

Heaven;  where  it  is   itc, 
inhabitant's   =.„/.  u'  "^^ 


MRW   RRVIBRD   ROITIOM. 


HEAVEN: 


WHERE  rr  IS,  rrs  iNHABrrANis,  and  how 

TO  GET  THERE. 


THE  CERTAINTY  OF  GOD  S   PROMISE  OF   A   LIFE   BEYOND 

THE   GRAVE,    AND   THE   REWARDS   THAT 

ARE   IN   STORE   FOR   FAITHFUL 

SERVICE. 


AS  GLEANED   FROM   SACRED   SCRIPTURE. 


j     BY 

D.  L  MOODY. 


"And  the  city  had  no  need  of  the  sun,  neither  of  the  moon  to  sh  no  in  it 
for  the  glory  of  God  did  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the  light  thereof." 


CHICAGO : 
F.  H.  Revell,  118  AND  150  Madison  Street 

(puhlUher  of  Sv angelical  Ziit^rature, 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  tho  years  1880  and  1884,  by 

F.  H.  REVELL, 

In  the  Office  of  tho  Librarian  of  Cong  oss,  at  Washington. 

ALL  EIGHTS  RESERVED. 


Printed  and  bound  by  J.  L.  Regan  &  Co.,  Chicago. 


PREFACE  TO  FIRST  EDITION. 


This  little  book,  upon  a  subject  that  is  very  dear  to  me,  has  been 
carefully  revised,  and  is  sent  forth  in  the  hope  that  it  may  give 
comfort  and  edification  to  many  ;  that  the  weak  may  be  strength- 
ened, the  sorrowing  consoled,  and  the  despondent  encouraged  to 
look  with  increased  faith  to  that  fairest  of  fair  cities  in  the  "  Better 
Land,"  which  is  the  home  of  the  Redeemer  and  the  redeemed. 

Many  books  have  been  published  in  this  country  in  my  name, 

but  none  of  them  with  authority,  and  the  only  motive  inspiring 
this  small  volume  is  that  souls  may  be  helped. 

D.  L.  MOODY. 
NoKTHFiEiiD,  Mass.,  1880. 


PUBLISHER'S  NOTE  TO  SECOND  EDITION. 


The  unprecedented  sale  of  '*  Heaven,"  which  has  in  the  four 
years  since  its  first  publication  reached  almost  ninety  thousand 
copies,  has  caused  the  plates  to  become  very  much  worn,  and  we 
have  taken  this  occasion  in  making  entirely  new  electrotype 
plates,  to  carefully  revise  the  book  and  materially  improve  its 
mechanical  execution.  That  it  may  in  its  improved  form  go  forth 
to  an  enlarged  mission  of  usefulness  is  the  hope  of 

THE  PUBLISHEE. 

Chicago,  January  1,  1885. 


ITS  HOPE 


"^e  Jforr^e  of  tfie  ^ouF. 


"That  unchangeable  home  is  for  you  and  for  me, 
Where  Jesus  of  Nazareth  stands; 
The  King  of  all  kingdoms  forever  is  He, 
And  He  holdeth  our  crowns  in  His  hands. 

"  Oh,  how  sweet  it  will  be  in  that  beautiful  land, 
So  free  from  all  sorrow  and  pain; 
With  songs  on  our  lips  and  with  harps  in  our  hands 
To  meet  one  another  again." 


3:  ^]  ^A^  TT  :s  3^  _ 


CHAPTER  I. 

ITS  HOPE. 


We  give  thanks  to  God  and  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
*        *        *  for  the  HOPE  which  is  laid  up  for  you  in  heaven. 

CoL.  i,  3,  5 

A  great  many  persons  imagine  that  anything  said 
about  heaven  is  only  a  matter  of  speculation.  They 
talk  about  heaven  much  as  they  would  about  the  air. 
Now  there  would  not  have  been  so  much  in  Scripture 
on  this  subject  if  God  had  wanted  to  leave  the  human 
race  in  darkness  about  it.  "  All  Scripture,"  we  are 
told,  "  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profitable 
for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction 
in  righteousness,  that  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect 
— thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works."  II  Tim. 
iii,  16,  17.  What  the  Bible  says  about  heaven  is  just 
as  true  as  v/hat  it  says  about  everything  else.  The 
Bible  is  inspired.  What  we  are  taught  about  heaven 
could  not  have  come  to  us  in  any  other  way  than  by  in- 
spiration. No  one  knew  anything  about  it  but  God, 
and  so  if  v,'e  want  to  find  out  anything  about  it  we  have 
to  turn  to  His  Word.     Dr.  Hodge,  of  Princeton,  says 

7 


8  HEAVEN: 

that  the  best  evidence  of  the  Bible  being  the  Word  of 
God  is  to  be  found  between  its  own  two  covers.  It 
proves  itself.  In  this  respect  it  is  like  Christ,  whose 
character  proclaimed  the  divinity  of  His  person. 
Christ  showed  Himself  more  than  man  by  what  He 
did.  The  Bible  shows  itself  more  than  a  human  book 
by  what  it  says. 

It  is  not,  however,  because  the  Bible  is  tvrUten  with 
more  than  human  skill,  far  surpassing  Shakspeare  or 
any  other  human  author,  and  that  its  knowledge  of 
character  and  the  eloquence  it  contains  are  beyond  the 
powers  of  man,  that  we  believe  it  to  be  inspired.  Men's 
ideas  differ  about  the  extent  to  which  human  skill  can 
be  carried,  but  the  reason  why  we  believe  the  Bible  to 
be  inspired  is  so  simple  that  the  humblest  child  of  God 
can  comprehend  it.  If  the  proof  of  its  divine  origin 
lay  in  its  wisdom  alone,  a  simple  and  uneducated  man 
might  not  be  able  to  believe  it.  We  believe  it  is  in- 
spired because  there  is  nothing  in  it  that  could  not 
have  come  from  God.  God  is  wise,  and  God  is  good. 
There  is  nothing  in  the  Bible  that  is  not  wise,  and 
there  is  nothing  in  it  that  is  not  good.  If  the  Bible 
had  anything  in  it  that  was  opposed  to  reason,  or  to 
our  sense  of  right,  then,  perhaps,  we  might  think  that 
it  was  like  all  the  books  in  the  world  that  are  written 
merely  by  men.  Books  that  are  only  human,  like 
merely  human  lives,  have  in  them  a  great  deal  that  is 
foolish  and  a  great  deal  that  is  wrong.  The  life  of 
Christ  alone  was  perfect,  being  both  human  and  divine. 
Not  one  of  the  other  volumes,  like  the  Koran,  that 
claims  divinity  of  origin,  agrees  with  common  sense. 
There  is  nothing  at  all  in  the  Bible   that   does  not 


ITS  HOPE.  9 

conform  to  common  sense.  What  it  tells  us  about  the 
world  having  been  destroyed  by  a  deluge,  and  Noah 
and  his  family  alone  being  saved,  is  no  more  wonder- 
ful than  what  is  taught  in  the  schools,  that  all  of  the 
earth  we  see  now,  and  everything  upon  it,  came  out  of 
a  ball  of  fire.  It  is  a  great  deal  easier  to  believe  that 
man  was  made  after  the  image  of  God,  than  to  believe, 
as  some  young  men  and  women  are  being  taught  now, 
that  he  is  the  offspring  of  a  monkey. 

Like  all  the  other  wonderful  works  of  God,  this  Book 
bears  the  sure  stamp  of  its  Author.  It  is  like  Him. 
Though  man  plants  the  seeds,  God  makes  the  flowers, 
and  they  are  perfect  and  beautiful  like  Himself.  Men 
wrote  what  is  in  the  Bible,  but  the  work  is  God's.  The 
more  refined,  as  a  rule,  people  are,  the  fonder  they  are 
of  flowers,  and  the  better  they  are,  as  a  rule,  the  more 
they  love  the  Bible.  The  fondness  for  flowers  refines 
people,  and  the  love  of  the  Bible  makes  them  better. 
All  that  is  in  the  Bible  about  God,  about  man,  about 
redemption,  and  about  a  future  state,  agrees  with  our 
own  ideas  of  right,  with  our  reasonable  fears  and  with 
our  personal  experiences.  All  the  historical  events  are 
described  in  the  way  that  we  know  the  world  had  of 
looking  at  them  when  they  were  written.  What  the 
Bible  tells  about  heaven  is  not  half  so  strange  as  wha+ 
Prof.  Proctor  tells  about  the  hosts  of  stars  that  are  be- 
yond the  range  of  any  ordinary  telescope;  and  yet 
people  very  often  think  that  science  is  all  fact,  and  that 
religion  is  only  fancy.  A  great  many  persons  think 
that  Jupiter  and  many  more  of  the  stars  around  us  are 
inhabited,  who  cannot  bring  themselves  to  believe  that 
there  is  beyond  this  earth  a  life  for  immortal  souls. 


10  HEAVEN: 

Tlie  true  Christian  puts  faith  before  reason,  and  believes 
that  reason  always  goes  wrong  when  faith  is  set  aside. 
If  people  would  but  read  their  Bibles  more,  and  study 
what  there  is  to  be  found  there  about  heaven,  they 
would  not  be  as  worldly-minded  as  they  are.  They 
would  not  have  their  hearts  set  upon  things  down  here, 
but  would  seek  the  imperishable  things  above. 

EAETH    THE    HOME    OF    SIN. 

It  seems  perfectly  reasonable  that  God  should  have 
given  us  a  glimpse  of  the  future,  for  we  are  constantly 
losing  some  of  our  friends  by  death,  and  the  first 
thought  that  comes  to  us  is,  "  Where  have  they  gone?" 
When  loved  ones  are  taken  away  from,  us  how  that 
thought  comes  up  before  us!  How  we  wonder  if  we 
will  ever  see  them  again,  and  where  and  when  it  will 
be !  Then  it  is  that  we  turn  to  this  blessed  Book,  for 
there  is  no  other  book  in  all  the  world  that  can  give 
us  the  slightest  comfort ;  no  other  book  that  can  tell  us 
where  the  loved  ones  have  gone. 

Not  long  ago  I  met  an  old  friend,  and  as  I  took  him 
by  the  hand  and  asked  after  his  family,  the  tears  came 
trickling  down  his  cheeks  as  he  said: 

"  I  haven't  any  now." 

"What,"  I  said,  "  is  your  wife  dead?" 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  And  all  your  children,  too?  " 

"Yes,  all  gone,"  he  said,  "  and  I  am  left  here  deso- 
late and  alone." 

Would  any  one  take  from  that  man  the  hope  that  he 
will  meet  his  dear  ones  again  ?  AVould  any  one  per- 
suade him  that  there  is  not  a  future  where  the  lost  will 


ITS  HOPE.  11 


be  found  ?  No,  we  need  not  forget  our  dear  loved  ones ; 
but  we  may  cling  forever  to  the  enduring  hope  that 
there  will  be  a  time  when  we  can  meet  unfettered,  and 
be  blest  in  that  land  of  everlasting  suns,  where  the  soul 
drinks  from  the  living  streams  of  love  that  roll  by  God's 
high  throne. 

In  our  inmost  hearts  there  are  none  of  us  but  have 
questionings  of  the  future. 

"  Tell  me,  my  secret  soul, 

O,  tell  me,  Hope  and  Faith, 
Is  there  no  resting-place 

From  sorrow,  sin  and  death? 
Is  there  no  happy  spot 

Where  mortals  may  be  blest, 
Where  grief  may  find  a  balm, 
And  weariness  a  rest? 
Faith,  Hope  and  Love — best  boons  to  mortals  given — 
Waved  their  bright  wings,  and  whispered: 
Yes,  in  heaven !  " 

There  are  men  who  say  that  there  is  no  heaven.  I 
was  once  talking  with  a  man  who  said  he  thought  there 
was  nothing  to  justify  us  in  believing  in  any  other 
heaven  than  that  we  know  here  on  earth.  If  this  is 
heaven,  it  is  a  very  strange  one— this  world  of  sick- 
ness, sorrow  and  sin.  I  pity  from  the  depths  of  my 
heart  the  man  or  woman  who  has  that  idea. 

This  world  that  some  think  is  heaven,  is  the  home  of 
sin,  a  hospital  of  sorrow,  a  place  that  has  nothing  in  it 
to  satisfy  the  soul.  Men  go  all  over  it  and  then  want  to 
get  out  of  it.  The  more  men  see  of  the  world  the  less 
they  think  of  it.  People  soon  grow  tired  of  the  best 
pleasures  it  has  to  offer.  Some  one  has  said  that  the 
world  is  a  stormy  sea,  whose  every  wave  is  strewed  with 
the  wrecks  of  mortals  that  perish  in  it.     Every  time 


12  HEAVEN: 


we  breathe  some  one  is  dying.  We  all  know  that  we 
are  going  to  stay  here  but  a  very  little  while.  Our  life 
is  but  a  vapor.     It  is  only  a  shadow. 

"We  meet  one  another,"  as  some  one  has  said, 
"salute  one  another,  pass  on  and  are  gone."  And  an- 
other has  said:  "  It  is  just  an  inch  of  time,  and  then 
eternal  ages  roll  on;"  and  it  seems  to  me  that  it  is  per- 
fectly reasonable  that  we  should  study  this  Book,  to 
find  out  where  we  are  going,  and  where  our  friends  are 
who  have  gone  on  before.  The  longest  time  man  has 
to  live  has  no  more  proportion  to  eternity  than  a  drop 
of  dew  has  to  the  ocean. 

CITIES  OF  THE  PAST. 

Look  at  the  cities  of  the  past.  There  is  Babylon. 
It  is  said  to  have  been  founded  by  a  queen  named  Semi- 
ramis,  who  had  two  millions  of  men  at  work  for  years 
building  it.  It  is  nothing  but  dust  now.  Nearly  a 
thousand  years  ago,  a  historian  wrote  that  the  ruins  of 
Nebuchadnezzar's  palace  were  still  standing,  but  men 
were  afraid  to  go  near  them  because  they  were  full  of 
scorpions  and  snakes.  That  is  the  sort  of  ruin  that 
greatness  often  comes  to  in  our  own  day.  Nineveh  is 
gone.  Its  towers  and  bastions  have  fallen.  The  trav- 
eler who  tries  to  see  Carthage  cannot  find  much  of  it. 
Corinth,  once  the  seat  of  luxury  and  art,  is  only  a 
shapeless  mass.  Ephesus,  long  the  metropolis  of  Asia, 
the  Paris  of  that  day,  was  croAvded  with  buildings  as 
large  as  the  capitol  at  Washington.  I  am  told  it  looks 
more  like  a  neglected  graveyard  now  than  anything 
else.  Granada,  once  so  grand,  with  its  twelve  gates 
and  towers,   is   now   in   decay.      The    Alhambra,  the 


ITS  HOPE.  13 


palace  of  the  Mohammedan  kings,  Avas  situated  there. 
Little  pieces  of  the  once  grand  and  beautiful  cities  of 
Herculanjeum  and  Pompeii  are  now  being  sold  in  the 
shops  for  relics.  Jerusalem,  once  the  joy  of  the  whole 
earth,  is  but  a  shadow  of  its  former  self.  Thebes,  for 
thousands  of  years,  up  almost  to  the  coming  of  Christ, 
among  the  largest  and  wealthiest  cities  of  the  world,  is 
now  a  mass  of  decay.  But  little  of  ancient  Athens,  and 
many  more  of  the  proud  cities  of  olden  times,  remain 
to  tell  the  story  of  their  downfall.  God  drives  his 
plowshare  through  cities,  and  they  are  upheaved  like 
furrows  in  the  field.  "Behold,"  says  Isaiah,  "the  na- 
tions are  as  a  drop  of  a  bucket,  and  are  counted  as  the 
small  dust  of  the  balance ;  behold,  He  taketli  up  the 
isles  as  a  very  little  thing  ....  All  nations  before 
Him  are  as  nothing ;  and  they  are  counted  to  Him  less 
than  nothing,  and  vanity." 

See  how  Antioch  has  fallen;  When  Paul  preached 
there,  it  was  a  superb  metropolis.  A  wide  street,  over 
three  miles  long,  stretching  across  the  entire  city,  was 
ornamented  Avith  rows  of  columns  and  covered  galler- 
ies, and  at  every  corner  stood  carved  statues  to  com- 
memorate their  great  men,  whose  names  even  we  have 
never  heard.  These  men  are  never  heard  of  now,  but 
the  poor  preaching  tent-maker  who  entered  its  portals 
stands  out  as  the  grandest  character  in  history.  The 
finest  specimens  of  Grecian  art  decorated  the  shrines 
of  the  temples,  and  the  baths  and  the  aqueducts  were 
such  as  are  never  approached  in  elegance  now.  Men 
then,  as  now,  were  seeking  honor,  wealth  and  renown, 
and  enshrining  their  names  and  records  in  perishable 
^lay.     Within  the  walls  of  Antioch,  we  are  told,  wer^ 


14  HEAVEN: 


enclosed  hills  over  seven  liundred  feet  higli,  and  rocky- 
precipices  and  deep  ravines  gave  a  wild  and  picturesque 
character  to  the  place  of  which  no  modern  city  affords 
an  example.  These  heights  were  fortfied  in  a  marvel- 
ous manner,  which  gave  to  them  strange  and  startling 
effects.  The  vast  population  of  this  brilliant  city,  com- 
bining all  the  art  and  cultivation  of  Greece  with  the 
levity,  the  luxury  and  the  superstition  of  Asia,  was  as 
intent  on  pleasure  as  the  population  of  any  of  our  great 
cities  are  to-day.  The  citizens  had  their  shows,  their 
games,  their  races  and  dancers,  their  sorcerers,  puz- 
zlers, buffoons  and  miracle-workers,  and  the  people 
sought  constantly  in  the  theaters  and  processions  for 
something  to  stimulate  and  gratify  the  most  corrupt 
desires  of  human  nature.  This  is  pretty  much  what 
we  find  the  masses  of  the  people  in  our  great  cities  do- 
ing now. 

Antioch  was  even  worse  than  Athens,  for  the  so- 
called  worship  they  indulged  in  was  not  only  idolatrous, 
but  had  mixed  up  with  it  the  grossest  passions  to  which 
man  descends.  It  was  here  that  Paul  came  to  preach 
the  glad  tidings  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ;  it  was  here 
that  the  disciples  were  first  called  Christians,  as  a  nick- 
name ;  all  followers  of  Christ  before  tliat  time  having 
been  called  "  saints"  or  "brethren."  As  has  been  well 
said,  out  of  that  spring  at  Antioch  a  miglity  stream 
has  flowed  to  water  the  world.  Astarte,  the  "Queen  of 
Heaven,"  whom  they  worshiped;  Diana,  Apollo,  the 
Pharisee  and  Saducee,  are  no  more,  but  the  despised 
Christians  yet  live.  Yet  that  heathen  city,  which  would 
not  take  Christianity  to  its  heart  and  keep  it,  fell. 
Cities   that  have    not   the    refining    and    restraining 


ITS  HOPE.  15 


influences  of  Christianity  well  established  in  them, 
seldom  do  amount  to  much  in  the  long  run.  They  grow 
dim  in  the  light  of  ages.  Few  of  our  great  cities  in 
this  country  are  a  hundred  years  old  as  yet.  For  nearly 
a  thousand  years  this  city  prospered;  yet  it  fell. 

GOING  TO    EMIGRATE. 

I  do  not  think  that  it  is  \\Tong  for  us  to  think  and 
talk  about  heaven.  I  like  to  locate  heaven,  and  find 
out  all  I  can  about  it.  I  expect  to  live  there  through  all 
eternity.  If  I  were  going  to  dwell  in  any  place  in  this 
country,  if  I  were  going  to  make  it  my  home,  I  would 
want  to  inquire  about  the  place,  about  its  climate,  about 
the  neighbors  I  would  have,  about  everything,  in  fact, 
that  1  could  learn  concerning  it.  If  any  of  you  were 
going  to  emigrate,  that  would  be  the  way  you  would 
feel.  Well,  we  are  are  all  going  to  emigrate  in  a  very 
little  while  to  a  country  that  is  very  far  away.  We  are 
going  to  spend  eternity  in  another  world,  a  grand  and 
glorious  world  where  God  reigns.  Is  it  not  natural, 
then,  that  we  should  look  and  listen  and  try  to  find  out 
who  is  already  there,  and  what  is  the  route  to  take  ? 

Soon  after  I  ^vas  converted,  an  infidel  asked  me  one 
day  why  I  looked  up  wlien  I  prayed.  He  said  that 
heaven  was  no  more  above  us  than  below  us;  that 
heaven  was  everywhere.  Well,  I  was  greatly  bewil- 
dered, and  the  next  time  I  prayed,  it  seemed  almost  as 
if  I  was  praying  into  the  air.  Since  then  I  have  become 
better  acquainted  vvith  the  Bible,  and  I  have  come  to 
see  that  heaven  is  above  us ;  that  it  is  upward,  and  not 
downward.  The  Spirit  of  God  is  everywhere,  but  God 
is  JA  heaven,  and  heaven  is  above  our  heads.     It  does 


16  HEAVEN: 


not  matter  what  part  of  the  globe  we  may  stand  upon, 
heaven  is  above  ns. 

In  the  17th  chapter  of  Genesis  it  says  that  God 
went  7(p  from  Abraham ;  and  m  the  3d  chapter  of  John, 
that  the  Son  of  Man  came  down  from  heaven.  So,  in 
the  1st  chapter  of  Acts  we  find  that  Christ  went  up  in- 
to heaven  (not  down),  and  a  cloud  received  him  out  of 
sight.  Thus  we  see  heaven  is  up.  The  very  arrange- 
ment of  the  firmament  about  the  earth  declares  the  seat 
of  God's  glory  to  be  above  us.  Job  says:  "  Let  not  God 
regard  it  from  above.''''  Again,  in  Deuteronomy,  we 
find,  "who  shall  go  2ip  for  us  to  heaven?"  Thus, 
all  through  Scripture  we  find  that  Ave  are  given  the 
location  of  heaven  as  upward  and  beyond  the  firma- 
ment. This  firmament,  Avith  its  many  bright  worlds 
scattered  through,  is  so  vast  that  heaven  must  be  an  ex- 
tensive realm.  Yet  this  need  not  surprise  us.  It  is 
not  for  short-sighted  man  to  inquire  why  God  made 
heaven  so  extensive  that  its  lights  along  the  way  can 
be  seen  from  any  part  or  side  of  this  little  world. 

In  Jeremiah  li,  15,  we  are  told:  "  He  hath  made 
the  earth  by  His  power;  He  hath  established  the  world 
by  His  wisdom,  and  hath  stretched  out  the  heaven  by 
His  understanding."  Yet,  how  little  we  really  know  of 
that  power,  or  wisdom  or  understanding !  As  we  read  in 
Job:  "  Lo,  these  are  parts  of  his  ways;  but  how  little  a 
portion  is  heard  of  Him  ?  But  the  thunder  of  His  power, 
who  can  understand  ?  " 

This  is  the  Avord  of  God.  As  we  find  in  the  42nd 
chapter  of  Isaiah:  "Thus  saith  God  the  Lord,  He 
that  created  the  heavens  and  stretched  them  out;  He 
that  spread  forth  the  earth,  and  that  which  cometh  put 


ITS  HOPE.  17 


of  it ;  He  that  givetli  bread  unto  the  people  upon  it,  and 
spirit  to  them  tliat  walk  Avithin.^' 

The  discernment  of  God's  power,  the  messages  of 
heaven,  do  not  always  come  in  great  things.  AVe  read 
in  the  19th  chapter  of  the  first  book  of  Kings: 

"  And,  behold,  the  Lord  passed  by,  and  a  great  and  strong  Avind 
rent  the  mountains,  and  brake  in  pieces  the  rocks  befoie  the  Lord; 
but  the  Lord  was  not  in  the  wind;  and  after  the  wind  an  earth- 
quake; but  the  Lord  was  not  in  the  earthquake;  and  after  the  earth- 
quake a  fire;  but  the  Lord  was  not  in  the  fire;  and  after  the  fire  a 
still  small  voice." 

It  is  as  a  still  small  voice  that  God  speaks  to  His 
children.  Some  people  are  trying  to  find  out  just  how 
far  heaven  is  away.  There  is  one  thing  we  know  about 
it;  that  is,  that  is  not  so  far  away  but  that  God  can 
hear  us  when  we  pray.  I  do  not  believe  there  has 
ever  been  a  tear  shed  for  sin  since  Adam's  fall  in  Eden 
to  the  present  time,  but  God  has  witnessed  it.  He  is 
not  too  far  from  earth  for  us  to  go  to  Him ;  and 
if  there  is  a  sigh  that  comes  from  a  burdened  heart 
to-day,  God  will  hear  that  sigh.  If  there  is  a  cry 
coming  tip  from  a  heart  broken  on  account  of  sin,  God 
will  hear  that  cry.  He  is  not  so  far  away,  heaven  is 
not  so  far  aw^ay,  as  to  be  inaccessible  to  the  smallest 
child.     In  II  Chronicles  we  read: 

"  If  My  people,  which  are  called  by  My  name,  shall  humble  them- 
selves, and  pray,  and  seek  My  face,  and  turn  from  their  wicked 
ways,  then  will  I  hear  from  heaven,  and  will  forgive  them  their 
sins,  and  will  heal  their  land." 

When  I  was  in  Dublin,  they  were  telling  me  about 
a  father  who  had  lost  a  little  boy.  This  father  had  not 
thought  about  the  future,  he  had  been  so  entirely  taken 
up  with  this  world  and  its  affairs ;  but  when  that  little 
boy,  his  only  child,  died,  that  father's  heart  was  broken^ 
2 


18  HEAVEN: 

and  every  niglit  when  lie  returned  from  work  he 
mifirht  be  found  in  his  room  with  liis  candle  and  his 
Bible,  hunting  up  all  that  he  could  find  there  about 
heaven.  Some  one  asked  him  what  he  was  doing, 
and  he  said  he  was  trying  to  find  out  where  his 
child  had  gone,  and  I  think  he  was  a  reasonable  man. 
I  suppose  no  one  will  ever  read  this  page  who  has  not 
dear  ones  that  are  gone.  Shall  we  close  this  Book  to- 
day, or  shall  we  look  into  it  to  try  to  find  where  the 
loved  ones  are?  I  was  reading,  some  time  ago,  an  ac- 
count of  a  father,  a  minister,  Avho  had  lost  a  child.  He 
had  gone  to  a  great  many  funerals,  offering  com- 
fort to  others  in  sorrow,  but  now  the  iron  had  entered 
his  own  soul,  and  a  brother  minister  had  come  to  offici- 
ate and  preach  the  funeral  sermon;  and  after  this  min- 
ister had  finished  speaking,  the  father  got  up,  and 
standing  at  the  head  of  the  coffin,  he  said  that  a  few 
years  ago,  when  he  had  first  come  into  that  parish, 
as  he  used  to  look  over  the  river  he  took  no  interest  in 
the  people  over  there,  because  they  were  all  strangers 
to  him  and  there  were  none  over  there  that  belonged 
to  his  parish.  But,  he  said,  a  few  years  ago  a  young  man 
came  into  his  home,  and  married  his  daughter,  and  she 
went  over  the  river  to  live,  and  when  his  child  went  over 
there,  he  became  suddenly  interested  in  the  inhabitants, 
and  every  morning  as  he  arose  he  would  look  out  of  the 
window  across  the  river  to  her  home.  "  But  now," 
said  he,  "  another  child  has  been  taken.  She  has  gone 
over  another  river,  and  heaven  seems  dearer  and  nearer 
to  me  now  than  it  ever  has  before." 

My  friends,  let  us  believe   this  good   old  Book,  be 
confident  that  heaven  is  not  a  myth,  and  be  prepared  to 


ITS  HOPE.  19 


follow  the  dear  ones  wlio  have  gone  before.     Thus,  and 
thus  alone,  can  we  find  the  peace  we  seek  for. 

SEEKING   A    BETTER  COUNTRY. 

What  has  been,  and  is  now,  one  of  the  strongest  feel- 
ings in  the  human  heart?  Is  it  not  to  find  some  bet- 
ter place,  some  lovelier  spot,  than  we  have  now?  It  is 
for  this  that  men  are  seeking  everywhere ;  and  they 
can  have  it  if  they  will;  but  instead  of  looking  down, 
they  must  look  iij)  to  find  it.  As  men  grow  in  knowl- 
edge, they  vie  with  each  other  more  and  more  in  mak- 
ing their  homes  attractive,  but  the  brightest  home  on 
earth  is  but  an  empty  barn,  compared  with  the  man- 
sions in  the  skies. 

What  is  it  that  we  look  for  at  the  decline  and  close 
of  life?  Is  it  not  some  sheltered  place,  some  quiet 
spot,  where,  if  we  cannot  have  constant  rest,  we  may  at 
least  have  a  foretaste  of  the  rest  that  is  to  be  ?  What 
was  it  that  led  Columbus,  not  knowing  what  would  be 
his  fate,  across  the  unsailed  western  seas,  if  it  were  not 
the  hope  of  finding  a  better  country  ?  This  it  was  that 
sustained  the  hearts  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers,  driven 
from  their  native  land  by  persecution,  as  they  faced  an 
iron-bound,  savage  coast,  with  an  unexplored  territory 
beyond.  They  were  cheered  and  upheld  by  the  hope 
of  reaching  a  free  and  fruitful  country,  where  they 
could  be  at  rest  and  worship  God  in  peace. 

Somewhat  similar  is  the  Christian's  hope  of  heaven, 
only  it  is  not  an  undiscovered  country,  and  in  attrac- 
tions cannot  be  compared  mtli  anything  we  know  on 
earth.  Perhaps  nothing  but  the  shortness  of  our  range 
Qt  sight  keeps  us  from  seeing  the  celestial  gates  aU 


20  HEAVEN: 


open  to  us,  and  nothing  but  the  deafness  of  our  ears 
prevents  our  hearing  the  joyful  ringing  of  the  bells  of 
heaven.  There  are  constant  sounds  around  us  that  we 
cannot  hear,  and  the  sky  is  studded  with  bright  worlds 
that  our  eyes  have  never  seen.  Little  as  we  know 
about  this  bright  and  radiant  land,  there  are  glimpses 
of  its  beauty  that  come  to  us  now  and  then. 

"We  may  not  know  how  sweet  its  balmy  air, 
How  bright  and  fair  its  flowers; 
We  may  not  hear  the  songs  that  echo  there, 
Through  these  enchanted  bowers. 

"  The  city's  sliining  towers  we  may  not  see 
With  our  dim  earthly  vision, 
For  Death,  the  silent  warder,  keeps  the  key 
That  opes  the  gates  Elysian. 

"  But  sometimes  when  adown  the  western  sky 
A  fiery  sunset  lingers, 
Its  golden  gate  swings  inward  noiselessly, 
Unlocked  by  unseen  fingers. 

"And  while  they  stand  a  moment  half  ajar. 
Gleams  from  the  inner  glory 
Stream  brightly  through  the  azure  vault  afar. 
And  half  reveal  the  story." 

It  is  said  by  travelers  that  in  climbing  the  Alps  the 
houses  of  far  distant  villages  can  be  seen  with  great 
distinctness,  so  that  sometimes  the  number  of  panes 
of  glass  in  a  church  window  can  be  counted.  The 
distance  looks  so  short  that  the  place  to  which  the  trav- 
eler is  journeying  appears  almost  at  hand,  but  after 
hours  and  hours  of  climbing  it  seems  no  nearer  yet. 
This  is  because  of  the  clearness  of  the  atmosphere. 
By  perseverance,  however,  the  place  is  reached  at  last, 
and  the  tired  traveler  finds  rest.  So  sometimes  we 
dwell  in  high  altitudes  of  grace ;  heaven  seems  very  near, 


ITS  HOPE.  21 


and  the  hills  of  Beulah  are  in  full  view.  At  other 
times  the  clouds  and  fogs  caused  by  suffering  and  sin 
cut  off  our  sight.  We  are  just  as  near  heaven  in  the 
one  case  as  we  are  in  the  other,  and  we  are  just  as  sure 
of  gaining  it  if  we  only  keep  in  the  path  that  Christ 
has  pointed  out. 

I  have  read  that  on  the  shores  of  the  Adriatic  sea  the 
wives  of  fishermen,  whose  husbands  have  gone  far  out 
upon  the  deep,  are  in  the  habit  of  going  down  to  the 
sea-shore  at  night  and  singing  with  their  sweet  voices 
the  first  verse  of  some  beautiful  hymn.  After  they 
have  sung  it  they  listen  until  they  hear  brought  on  the 
wind,  across  the  sea,  the  second  verse  sung  by  their 
brave  husbands  as  they  are  tossed  by  the  gale — and 
both  are  happy.  Perhaps,  if  we  would  listen,  we  too 
might  hear  on  this  storm-tossed  world  of  ours,  some 
sound,  some  whisper,  borne  from  afar  to  tell  us  there 
is  a  Heaven  which  is  our  home ;  and  when  we  sing  our 
hymns  upon  the  shores  of  the  earth,  perhaps  we  may 
hear  their  sweet  echoes  breaking  in  music  upon  the 
sands  of  time,  and  cheering  the  hearts  of  those  who 
are  pilgrims  and  strangers  along  the  way.  Yes,  we 
need  to  look  up — out,  beyond  this  low  earth,  and  to 
build  higher  in  our  thoughts  and  actions,  even  here! 

You  know,  when  a  man  is  going  up  in  a  balloon,  he 
takes  in  sand  as. ballast,  and  when  he  wants  to  mount  a 
little  higher,  he  throws  out  some  of  it,  and  then  he 
will  mount  a  little  higher ;  he  throws  out  a  little  more 
ballast,  and  he  mounts  still  higher;  and  the  more  he 
throws  out  the  higher  he  gets,  and  so  the  more  we 
have  to  throw  out  of  the  things  of  this  world  the  nearer 
we  get  to  God.     Let  go  of  them;  let  us  not  set  our 


22  BEAVEN: 

hearts  and  affections  on  them,  but  do  what  the  Master 
tells  lis — lay  np  for  oiirselves  treasures  in  heaven. 

In  England  I  was  told  of  a  lady  who  had  been  bed- 
ridden for  years.  She  was  one  of  those  saints  whom 
God  polishes  up  for  the  kingdom;  for  I  believe  there 
are  many  saints  in  this  world  whom  we  never  hear 
about ;  we  never  see  their  names  heralded  through  the 
press ;  they  live  very  near  the  Master ;  they  live  very 
near  heaven;  and  I  think  it  takes  a  great  deal  more 
grace  to  suffer  God's  will  than  it  does  to  do  it;  and  if 
a  person  lies  on  a  bed  of  sickness,  and  suffers  cheer- 
fully, it  is  just  as  acceptable  to  God  as  if  they  went 
out  and  worked  in  His  vineyard. 

Now  this  lady  was  of  those  saints.  She  said  that 
for  a  long  time  she  used  to  have  a  great  deal  of 
pleasure  in  watching  a  bird  that  came  to  make  its  nest 
near  her  window.  One  year  it  came  to  make  its  nest, 
aud  it  began  to  build  so  low  do^Ti  she  was  afi'aid  some- 
thing would  happen  to  the  young;  and  every  day  that 
she  saw  that  bird  busy  at  work  making  its  nest,  she 
kept  saying,  "O  bird,  build  higher!"  She  could  see 
that  the  biixl  was  likely  to  come  to  grief  and  disap- 
pointment. At  last  the  bird  got  its  nest  done,  and  laid 
its  eggs  and  hatched  its  young;  and  e^'ery  morning  the 
lady  looked  out  to  see  if  the  nest  was  there,  and  she 
saw  the  old  bird  bringing  food  for  the  little  ones,  and 
she  took  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  looking  at  it.  But 
one  morning  she  awoke,  looked  out,  and  she  saw  nothing 
but  feathers  scattered  all  around,  and  she  said:  "Ah, 
the  cat  has  got  the  oldbii'd  and  all  her  young."  It  would 
have  been  a  kindness  to  have  torn  that  nest  down. 
That  is  what  God  does  for  us  very  often — just  snatches 


ITS  BOPB.  ^3 

things  away  before  it  is  too  late.  Now,  I  think  that 
is  Avliat  we  want  to  say  to  professing  Christians — if 
you  buikl  for  time  you  will  be  disappointed.  God 
says:  Build  up  yonder.  It  is  a  good  deal  better  to 
have  life  with  Christ  in  God  than  anywhere  else.  I 
would  rather  have  my  life  hid  with  Christ  in  God  than 
be  in  Eden  as  Adam  was.  Adam  might  have  remained 
in  Paradise  for  16,000  years,  and  then  fallen,  but  if 
our  life  is  hid  in  Christ,  how  safe! 


©I'^oug'^tx^  of  <Kon]^. 


BY  ANNA  SHIPTON. 


0  Lord,  'twas  Thine  to  labor  and  wear  the  thorns  for  me; 
Thou  sharest  all  my  sorrows;  Thou  knowest  what  'twill  be 
To  see  the  Father's  glory,  to  hear  Thy  welcome  there, 
Where  never  cross  or  burden  remains  for  us  to  bear. 

1  seem  to  pace  the  glittering  street,  and  hear  the  harps  of  gold, 
The  echo  of  the  new  song  that  never  groweth  old; 

I  hear  Thy  praise,  Lord  Jesus,  my  Life,  my  Lord,  my  King, 
Until  my  worn  heart  pineth  the  strains  of  heaven  to  sing. 

Safe  in  the  better  country  my  loved  ones  I  shall  find, 
And  some  in  that  bright  multitude  I  feared  were  left  behind ; 
Then  loud  shall  sound  our  praises  within  the  jasper  wall, 
As  cherubim  and  seraphim  before  the  Holiest  fall.   • 

With  folded  wings,  expectant,  the  angel  bands  will  come 
To  hsten  to  the  tale  of  grace  that  wooed  the  children  home; 
And  sitting  at  Thy  feet,  Lord,  my  joyful  lips  shall  tell 
How  much  He  hath  forgiven,  who  "  doeth  all  things  well." 

Thou  blessed  Spirit,  cheering  this  valley  land  for  me. 
With  glimpses  of  the  glory  of  that  which  soon  shall  be ; 
Each  harpstring,  dull  and  broken,  Thy  gentle  breath  awaits; 
Then  let  me  sing  of  Jesus  up  to  the  golden  gates. 


24 


ohTea^en: 
ITS  INHABITANTS. 


J\  bittfe  ©ya^. 


"  A  little  way !    I  know  it  is  not  far 
To  that  dear  home  where  my  beloved  are; 
And  still  my  heart  sits,  hke  a  bird,  upon 
The  empty  nest,  and  mourns  its  treasures  gone, 
Plumed  for  their  flight, 
And  vanished  quite. 
Ah  me!    Where  is  the  comfort?  Though  I  say 
They  have  but  journeyed  on  a  little  way. 

"  A  little  way!    At  times  they  seem  so  near, 
Their  voices  even  murmur  in  my  ear, 
To  all  my  duties  loving  presence  lend, 
And  with  sweet  ministry  my  steps  attend. 
'Twas  here  we  met  and  parted  company; 
Why  sliould  their  gain  be  such  a  grief  to  me? 

This  sense  of  loss ! 

This  heavy  cross ! 
Dear  Savior,  take  the  burden  off,  I  pray, 
And  show  me  heaven  is  but — a  little  way. 

"  A  little  way?    The  sentence  I  repeat. 
Hoping  and  longing  to  extract  some  sweet 
To  mingle  with  the  bitter;  from  Thy  hand 
I  take  the  cup  I  cannot  understand. 
And  in  my  weakness  give  myself  to  Thee. 
Although  it  seems  so  very,  very  far 
To  that  dear  home  where  my  beloved  are, 

I  know,  I  know, 

It  is  not  so; 
Oh,  give  me  faith  to  believe  it  when  I  say 
That  they  are  gone — gone  but  a  little  way." 

— Anon. 


26 


ITS  INHABITANTS.  27 


CHAPTEK  11. 

ITS  INHABITANTS. 


The  inhabitant  shall  not  say,  I  am  sick.     The  people  that  dwell 
therein  shall  be  forgiven  their  iniquity.    Isaiah  xxxiii,  34. 

The  society  of  heaven  will  be  select.  No  one  who 
studies  Scripture  can  doubt  that.  There  are  a  good 
many  kinds  of  aristocracy  in  this  world,  but  the  aris- 
tocracy of  heaven  will  be  the  aristocracy  of  holiness. 
The  humblest  believer  on  earth  will  be  an  aristocrat 
there.  It  says  in  the  57th  chapter  of  Isaiah:  "For 
thus  saith  the  High  and  Lofty  One,  that  inliab- 
iteth  eternity,  whose  name  is  Holy:  I  dwell  in  the 
high  and  holy  place  with  him  also  that  is  of  a  contrite 
and  humble  spirit."  Now  what  could  be  plainer  than 
that?  No  one  who  is  not  of  a  contrite  and  humble 
spirit  will  dwell  with  God  in  His  high  and  holy 
place. 

If  there  is  anything  that  ought  to  make  heaven  near 
to  Christians,  it  is  knowing  that  God  and  all  their  loved 
ones  will  be  there.  What  is  it  that  makes  home  so  at- 
tractive ?  Is  it  because  we  have  a  beautiful  home  ?  Is 
it  because  we  have  beautiful  lawns  ?  Is  it  because  we 
have  beautiful  trees  around  us  ?  Is  it  because  we  have 
beautiful  paintings  upon  the  walls  inside  ?  Is  it  be- 
cause we  have  beautiful  furniture?     Is  that  all.  that 


28  HEAVEN: 


makes  home  so  attractive  and  beautiful?     Nay,  it  is 
the  loved  ones  in  it;  it  is  the  loved  ones  there. 

I  remember  after  being  away  from  home  some  time, 
I  went  back  to  see  my  honored  mother,  and  I  thought 
in  going  back  I  would  take  her  by  surprise,  and  steal  in 
unexpectedly  upon  her,  but  when  I  found  she  had  gone 
away,  the  old  place  didn't  seem  like  home  at  all.  I 
went  into  one  room  and  then  into  another,  and  all 
through  the  house,  but  I  could  not  find  that  loved 
mother,  and  I  asked  some  member  of  the  family, 
"  Where  is  mother?  "  and  they  said  she  had  gone  away. 
Well,  home  had  lost  its  charm  to  me ;  it  was  that  mother 
who  made  home  so  sweet  to  me,  and  it  is  the  loved  ones 
who  make  home  so  sweet  to  every  one ;  it  is  the  presence 
of  the  loved  ones  that  will  make  heaven  so  sweet  to  all 
of  us.  Christ  is  there ;  God,  the  Father,  is  there ;  and 
many,  many  who  were  dear  to  us  when  they  lived  on 
earth  are  there — and  we  shall  be  Avitli  them  by  and  by. 

We  find  clearly  in  the  18th  chapter  of  Matthew,  10th 
verse,  that  the  angels  are  there:  "  Take  heed  that  ye 
despise  not  one  of  these  little  ones ;  for  I  say  unto  you, 
that  in  heaven,  their  angels  do  always  behold  the  face 
of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven." 

"Their  angels  do  always  behold  the  Father's  face!" 
We  shall  have  good  company  up  there ;  not  only  those 
who  have  been  redeemed,  but  those  who  have  never 
been  lost;  those  who  have  never  known  what  it  is  to 
transgress ;  those  who  have  never  known  what  it  is  to  be 
disobedient ;  who  have  obeyed  Him  from  th6  very  morn- 
ing of  creation. 

It  says  in  Luke  i,  when  Gabriel  came  down  to  tell 
Zachariah  that  he  was  to  be  the  father  of  the  forerunner 


ITS  INHABITANTS.  29 


of  Jesus  Christ,  Zacliariah  doubted  him ;  he  had  never 
been  doubted  before ;  and  that  doubt  is  met  with  the 
declaration:  "I  am  Gabriel,  that  standeth  in  t]ie 
presence  of  God."  What  a  glorious  thing  to  be  able 
to  say! 

It  has  been  said  that  there  will  be  three  things 
which  will  surprise  us  Avhen  we  get  to  heaven — one,  to 
find  many  whom  we  did  not  expect  to  find  there ;  an- 
other, to  find  some  not  there  whom  we  had  expected; 
a  third,  and  perhaps  the  greatest  wonder — to  find  our- 
selves there. 

A  poor  woman  once  told  Rowland  Hill  that  the  way 
to  heaven  was  short,  easy  and  simple ;  comprising  only 
three  steps — out  of  self,  into  Christ,  and  into  glory. 
AYe  have  a  shorter  way  noAv — out  of  self  and  into 
Christ,  and  we  are  there.  As  a  dead  man  cannot  in- 
herit an  estate,  no  more  can  a  dead  soul  inherit  heaven. 
The  soul  must  be  raised  up  in  Christ.  Among  the 
good  whom  we  hope  to  meet  in  heaven,  we  are  told, 
there  will  be  every  variety  of  character,  taste,  and  dis- 
position. There  is  not  one  mansion  there ;  there  are 
many.  There  is  not  one  gate  to  heaven,  but  many. 
There  are  not  only  three  gates  on  the  north;  but  on  the 
east  three  gates,  and  on  the  west  three  gates,  and  on 
the  south  three  gates.  From  opposite  divisions  of  the 
theological  compass,  from  opposing  standpoints  of  the 
religious  world,  from  different  quarters  of  human  life 
and  character,  through  various  expressions  of  their 
common  faith  and  hope,  through  diverse  modes  of  con- 
version, through  different  portions  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
ture, will  the  weary  travelers  enter  the  Heavenly  City, 
aud  meet  each  other-— "not  without  surprise" — on  the 


30  HEAVEN: 


shores  of  the  same  river  of  life.  And  on  those  shores 
they  will  find  a  tree  bearing,  not  the  same  kind  of  fruit 
always  and  at  all  times,  but  "twelve  manner  of  fruits," 
for  every  different  turn  of  mind, — for  the  patient  suf- 
ferer, for  the  active  servant,  for  the  holy  and  humble 
philosopher,  for  the  spirits  of  just  men  now  at  last  made 
perfect;  and  "the  leaves  of  the  tree  shall  be  for  the 
healing,"  not  of  one  single  church  or  people  only,  not 
for  the  Scotchman  or  the  Englishman  only,  but  for  the 
"  healing  of  the  nations," — the  Frenchman,  the  Ger- 
man, the  Italian,  the  Russian — for  all  those  from  whom 
it  may  be,  in  this  world,  its  fruits  have  been  farthest 
removed,  but  who,  nevertheless,  have  "  hungered  and 
thirsted  after  righteousness,"  and  who  therefore  "shall 
be  filled." 

An  eminent  living  divine  says:  "  When  I  was  a  boy, 
I  thought  of  heaven  as  a  great,  shining  city,  with  vast 
walls  and  domes  and  spires,  and  with  nobody  in  it  ex- 
cept white-robed  angels,  who  were  strangers  to  me. 
By  and  by  my  little  brother  died ;  and  I  thought  of  a 
great  city  with  walls  and  domes  and  spires,  and  a  flock 
of  cold,  unknown  angels,  and  one  little  fellow  that  I 
was  acquainted  with.  He  was  the  only  one  I  knew  at 
that  time.  Then  another  brother  died ;  and  there  were 
two  that  I  knew.  Then  my  acquaintances  began  to 
die;  and  the  flock  continually  grew.  But  it  was  not 
till  I  had  sent  one  of  my  little  children  to  his  Heavenly 
Parent — God — that  I  began  to  think  I  had  a  little  in 
myself.  A  second  went,  a  third  went;  a  fourth  went; 
and  by  that  time  I  had  so  many  acquaintances  in 
heaven,  that  I  did  not  see  any  more  walls  and  domes 
and  spires.     I  began  to  think  of  the  residents  of  the 


ITS  INHABITANTS.  31 

celestial  city  as  my  friends.  And  now  so  many  of  my 
acquaintances  have  gone  there,  that  it  sometimes  seems 
to  me  that  I  know  more  people  in  heaven  than  I  do  on 
earth." 

WE  SHALL  LIVE  FOREVER. 

It  says  in  John  xii,  26:  "If  any  man  serve  Me,  let 
him  follow  Me;  and  where  I  am,  there  shall  also  My 
servant  be." 

I  cannot  agree  with  some  people,  that  Paul  has  been 
sleeping  in  the  grave,  and  is  still  there,  after  the  storms 
of  eighteen  hundred  years.  I  cannot  believe  that  he 
who  loved  the  Master,  who  had  such  a  burning  zeal 
for  Him,  has  been  separated  from  Him  in  an  uncon- 
scious state.  "  Father,  I  will  that  they  also,  whom 
Thou  hast  given  Me,  be  with  Me  where  I  am ;  that  they 
may  behold  My  glory,  which  Thou  hast  given  Me." 
This  is  Christ's  prayer. 

Now  when  a  man  believes  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
he  receives  eternal  life.  A  great  many  people  make  a 
mistake  right  there;  ''He  that  believeth  on  the  Son 
hath — h-a-t-h — hath  eternal  life ; "  it  does  not  say  he 
shall  have  it  Avhen  he  comes  to  die ;  it  is  in  the  present 
tense ;  it  is  mine  now — if  I  believe.  It  is  the  gift  of 
God,  that  is  enough.  You  cannot  bury  the  gift  of  God ; 
you  cannot  bury  eternal  life.  All  the  grave-dig- 
gers in  the  world  cannot  dig  a  grave  large  enough 
and  deep  enough  to  hold  eternal  life;  all  the  coffin- 
makers  in  the  world  cannot  make  a  coffin  large  enough 
and  strong  enough  to  hold  eternal  life;  it  is  mine; 
it  is  mine! 

I  believe  when  Paul  said:  "To  be  absent  from  th© 


32  HEAVEN: 

body  and  present  with  the  Lord,"  he  meant  what  he 
said ;  that  he  was  not  going  to  be  separated  from  Him 
for  eighteen  hundred  years ;  the  spirit  that  was  given 
him  when  he  was  converted  he  had  from  a  new  life  and 
a  new  nature,  and  they  coukl  not  lay  that  away  in  the 
sepulchre;  they  could  not  bury  it,  that  flew  to  meet  its 
Maker.  Even  the  body  shall  be  raised;  this  body, 
sown  in  dishonor,  shall  be  raised  in  glory;  this  body 
which  has  known  corruption,  shall  put  on  incorruption, 
and  this  mortal  shall  put  on  immortality.  It  is  only  a 
question  of  time.  The  great  morning  of  the  Avorld 
will,  by-and-by,  dawn  upon  the  earth,  and  the  dead  shall 
come  forth  and  shall  hear  the  voice  of  Him  who  is  "the 
resurrection  and  the  life." 

Paul  says:  "If  our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle 
were  dissolved,  Ave  have  a  building  of  God,  a  house  not 
made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens."  He  could 
take  down  the  clay  temple,  and  leave  that,  but  he  had  a 
better  house.  He  says  in  one  place:  "I  am  in  a  strait  be- 
twixt two ;  having  a  desire  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ, 
which  is  far  better ;  nevertheless  to  abide  in  the  flesh  is 
more  needful  for  you."  To  me,  it  is  a  sweet  thought  to 
think  that  death  does  not  separate  us  from  the  Mas- 
ter. A  great  many  people  are  living  continually  in 
the  bondage  of  death,  but  if  I  have  eternal  life,  deaiji 
cannot  touch  that;  it  may  touch  the  house  I  live  in;  it 
may  change  my  countenance  and  send  my  body  away 
to  the  grave,  but  it  cannot  touch  this  new  life. 

To  me  it  is  very  sad  to  think  that  so  many  professed 
Christians  look  upon  death  as  they  do.  I  received  some 
time  ago  a  letter  from  a  friend  in  London,  and  I 
thought^  as  I  read  it,  I  would  take  it  and  shoTv  it  to 


ITS  INHABITANTS.  33 

other  people  and  see  if  I  could  not  get  them  to  look 
upon  death  as  this  friend  does.  He  had  lost  his  beloved 
mother.  In  England  it  is  a  very  common  thing  to  send 
out  cards  in  memory  of  the  departed  ones,  and  they  put 
upon  them  great  borders  of  black — sometimes  a  quar- 
ter of  an  inch  of  black  border — but  this  friend  had  put 
on  a  gold  border;  he  did  not  put  on  black  at  all  ;  his 
mother  had  gone  to  the  golden  city,  and  so  he  put  on  a 
golden  border;  and  I  think  it  a  good  deal  better  than 
black.  I  think  when  our  friends  die,  instead  of  putting 
a  great  black  border  upon  our  memorials  to  make  them 
look  dark,  it  would  be  better  for  us  to  put  on  gold. 

It  is  not  death  at  all ;  it  is  life.  Some  one  said  to  a 
person  dying:  "  Well,  you  are  in  the  land  of  the  living 
yet."  "  No,"  said  he,  "  I  am  in  the  land  of  the  dying 
yet,  but  I  am  going  to  the  land  of  the  living ;  they  live 
there  and  never  die."  This  is  the  land  of  sin  and 
death  and  tears,  but  up  yonder  they  never  die.  It  is 
perpetual  life ;  it  is  unceasing  joy. 

"It  is  a  glorious  thing  to  die,"  was  the  testimony 
of  Hannah  Moore  on  her  death-bed,  though  her  life 
had  been  sown  thick  with  the  rarest  friendships,  and  age 
had  not  so  weakened  her  memory  as  to  cause  her  to 
forget  those  little  hamlets  among  the  cliffs  of  her  na- 
tive hills,  or  the  mission-schools  she  had  with  such 
perseverance  established,  and  where  she  would  be  so 
sadly  missed. 

As  James  Montgomery  has  said: 

"  There  is  a  soft,  a  downy  bed; 

'Tis  fair  as  breath  of  even; 
A  couch  for  weary  mortals  spread, 
Where  they  may  rest  the  aching  head, 

And  find  repose — in  heaven ! 

3 


34  HEAVEN: 


"  There  is  an  hour  of  peaceful  rest, 

To  mourning  wanderers  given. 
There  is  a  joy  for  souls  distressed, 
A  balm  for  every  wounded  breast, 

'Tis  found  alone — in  heaven ! " 

KNOWING  OUR  FRIENDS. 

Many  are  anxious  to  know  if  tliey  will  recognize  their 
friends  in  heaven.  In  the  8th  chapter  of  Matthew  and 
the  11th  verse,  we  read:  "And  I  say  unto  you,  that 
many  shall  come  from  the  east  and  west,  and  shall  sit 
down  with  Abraham  and  Isaac  and  Jacob  in  the  king- 
dom of  heaven." 

Here  we  find  that  Abraham,  who  lived  so  many  hun- 
dreds of  years  before  Christ,  had  not  lost  his  identity, 
and  Christ  tells  us  that  the  time  is  coming  when  they 
shall  come  from  the  east  and  west  and  shall  sit  down 
with  Abraham  and  Isaac  and  Jacob  in  the  kingdom  of 
God.  These  men  had  not  lost  their  identity ;  they  were 
known  as  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob.  And  if  you  will 
turn  to  that  wonderful  scene  that  took  place  on  the 
Mount  of  Transfiguration,  you  will  find  that  Moses, 
who  had  been  gone  from  the  earth  1,500  years,  was 
there ;  Peter,  James  and  John  saw  him  on  the  Mount 
of  Transfiguration;  they  saw  him  as  Moses;  he  had 
not  lost  his  name.  Christ  says  of  him  that  overcometh, 
"  I  will  not  blot  your  names  out  of  the  Lamb's  Book  of 
Life."  We  have  names  in  heaven;  we  are  going  to 
bear  our  names  there;  we  will  be  known. 

Over  in  the  Psalms  it  says:  "I  shall  be  satisfied 
when  I  awake  in  Thy  likeness."  That  is  enough. 
Want  is  written  on  every  human  heart  down  here,  but 
there  we  shall  be  satisfied.     You  may  hunt  the  world 


ITS  INHABITANTS.  85 

from  one  end  to  the  other,  and  you  will  not  find  a  man 
or  woman  who  is  satisfied ;  but  in  heaven  we  shall  want 
for  nothing.  In  the  2d  chapter  of  the  1st  Epistle  of 
John,  we  read  these  words  addressed  to  followers  of 
Christ: 

"  Beloved,  now  are  we  the  sons  of  God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  ap- 
pear what  we  shall  be;  but  we  know  that  when  He  shall  appear,  we 
shall  be  like  Him;  for  we  shall  see  Him  as  He  is. 

"  And  every  man  that  hath  this  hope  in  him  purifieth  himself, 
even  as  He  is  pure." 

Moreover,  it  seems  highly  probable,  indeed  I  think 
it  is  clearly  taught  by  Scripture,  that  a  great  many 
careless  Christians  will  get  into  heaven.  There  will  be 
a  great  many  who  will  get  in  "by  the  skin  of  their 
teeth,"  or  as  Lot  was  saved  from  Sodom,  "  so  as  by 
fire."  They  will  barely  get  in,  but  there  will  be  no 
crown  of  rejoicing.  But  everybody  is  not  going  to  rush 
into  heaven.  There  are  a  great  many  who  will  not  be 
there.  You  know  we  have  a  class  of  people  who  tell 
us  they  are  going  into  the  kingdom  of  God  whether 
they  are  converted  or  not.  They  tell  us  that  tliey  are 
on  their  way ;  that  they  are  going  there.  They  tell  us 
all  are  going  there;  that  the  good,  the  bad  and  indif- 
ferent are  all  going  into  the  kingdom,  and  that  they 
will  all  be  there ;  that  there  is  no  difference ;  and,  in 
other  words — if  I  may  be  allowed  to  use  plain  language 
— they  give  God  the  lie. 

But  they  say,  "We  believe  in  the  mercy  of  God;" 
so  do  I.  I  believe  in  the  jusiice  of  God,  too;  and  I 
think  heaven  would  be  a  good  deal  worse  than  this 
earth  if  unrenewed  men  were  permitted  to  form  part 
of  it 


36  HEAVEN: 


Why,  if  a  man  sliould  live  forever  in  this  world  in 
sin,  what  would  become  of  this  world?  It  seems  as  if 
it  would  be  hell  itself.  Let  your  mind  pass  over  the 
history  of  this  country,  and  think  of  some  who  have 
lived  in  it.  Suppose  they  should  never  die ;  suppose 
they  should  live  on  and  on  forever  in  sin  and  rebellion ; 
do  you  think  that  God  is  going  to  take  those  men  who 
have  rejected  His  Son,  who  have  spurned  the  offer  of 
His  mercy,  who  have  refused  salvation,  and  have 
trampled  His  law  under  their  feet,  and  have  been  in 
rebellion  against  His  laws  down  here?  Do  you  sup- 
pose God  is  going  to  take  them  right  into  His  King- 
dom and  let  them  live  there  forever  ?     By  no  means. 

NO  DKUNKAKDS  IN  HEAVEN. 

"  Be  not  deceived  *  *  *  nor  thieves,  nor  covetous, 
nor  drunkards,  nor  revilers,  nor  extortioners,  shall  in- 
herit the  kingdom  of  God." 

"  No  drunkard  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God." 
Now  let  those  mothers  who  have  sons  who  are  just  com- 
mencing a  dissipated  life,  wake  up;  and  rest  not  day 
nor  night  until  their  boys  are  converted  by  the  power 
of  God's  grace,  because  no  drunkard  shall  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  God.  Many  of  these  moderate  drinkers 
will  become  drunkards;  no  man  ever  became  a  drunk- 
ard all  at  once.  How  the  devil  blinds  these  moderate 
drinkers !  I  do  not  know  of  any  sin  more  binding  than 
the  sin  of  intemperance ;  the  man  is  bound  hand  and 
foot  before  he  knows  it. 

I  was  reading  some  time  ago  an  account  of  snake- 
worshiping  in  India.  I  thought  it  was  a  horrible 
thing.     I  read  of  a  mother  wlio  saw  a  snake  come  into 


ITS  INHABITANTS.  37 

her  home  and  coil  itself  around  her  little  infant  only- 
six  months  old,  and  she  thought  the  reptile  was  such  a 
sacred  thing  that  she  did  not  dare  to  touch  it ;  and  she 
saw  the  snake  destroy  her  child;  she  heard  the  child's 
pitiful  cries,  but  dared  not  rescue  it.  My  soul  revolted 
as  I  read  the  narrative.  But  I  do  not  know  but  we 
have  things  right  here  in  America  that  are  just  as  bad 
as  that  serpent  in  India — serpents  that  are  coming  into 
many  a  Christian  home,  and  coiling  around  many  a 
son  and  binding  them  hand  and  foot,  and  the  fathers 
and  mothers  seem  to  be  asleep. 

Oh,  may  the  Spirit  of  God  wake  us  up!  No  drunk- 
ard shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God;  nor  rum-seller 
either.  Bear  that  in  mind,  "  Woe  unto  him  that  put- 
tetli  the  bottle  to  his  neighbor's  lips."  I  pity  any  pro- 
fessing Christians  who  rent  their  property  for  drink- 
ing saloons;  I  pity  them  from  the  depths  of  my 
heart.  If  you  ever  expect  to  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God,  give  it  up.  If  you  can  never  rent  your  property 
to  better  purposes  you  had  better  let  it  stand  empty. 
This  idea  that  all  is  going  well,  and  that  all  are  going 
into  the  kingdom  of  God,  whether  they  repent  or  not, 
is  not  taught  anywhere  in  the  Scripture. 

There  will  be  no  extortioners  in  heaven ;  none  of  those 
men  who  are  taking  advantage  of  their  brothers;  of 
those  men  who  have  been  unfortunate ;  whose  families 
are  sick ;  who  have  had  to  mortgage  their  property,  and 
had  snap-judgment  taken  against  them  by  some  man 
who  has  his  hand  at  their  throats,  and  takes  every  cent 
that  he  can  get.  That  man  is  an  extortioner.  He 
shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God.  I  pity  a  man 
who  gets  money  dishonestly.     See  the  trouble  he  has 


38  HEAVEN: 

to  keep  it.  It  is  sure  to  be  scattered.  If  you  got  it 
dishonestly  you  cannot  keep  it;  your  children  can't 
keep  it — they  have  not  the  power.  You  see  that  all 
over  the  country.  A  man  who  gets  a  dollar  dishon- 
estly, had  better  make  restitution  and  pay  it  back  very 
quickly,  or  it  will  burn  in  his  pocket. 

SOME    WILL    NOT  GET  IN. 

In  the  days  of  Noah  we  read  that  he  sailed  over  the 
deluge.  He  was  the  only  righteous  man,  but  accord- 
ing to  the  theory  of  some  people,  the  rest  of  those  men 
who  were  so  foul  and  so  wicked — too  wicked  to  live — 
God  took  them  and  swept  them  all  into  heaven,  and  left 
the  only  righteous  man  to  go  through  this  trial. 
Drunkards,  and  thieves  and  vagabonds  all  went  to 
heaven,  they  say.  You  might  as  w^ell  go  forward  and 
preach  that  "  you  can  swear  as  much  as  you  like,  and 
murder  as  much  as  you  please,  and  it  will  come  out 
right — that  God  will  forgive  you;  God  is  so  merciful." 

Suppose  the  Governor  of  a  State  should  pardon  ev- 
ery person  that  the  courts  ever  convicted,  and  are  now 
lying  in  its  jails  and  penitentiaries ;  suppose  he  should 
let  them  all  loose  because  he  is  so  merciful  that  he 
could  not  bear  to  have  men  punished ;  I  think  he  would 
not  be  Governor  of  that  State  long.  These  men  who 
are  talking  about  God  being  so  full  of  mercy,  that  He 
is  going  to  spare,  and  take  all  men  to  heaven,  would 
be  the  very  men  to  say  that  such  a  Governor  as  that 
ought  to  be  impeached — that  he  ought  not  to  be  Gov- 
ernor. Let  us  bear  in  mind  that  the  Scripture  says 
there  is  a  certain  class  of  people  who  "  shall  not  in- 
herit the  kingdom  of  GocV     Now,  I  will  give  you  the 


ITS  INHABITANTS.  39 

Scripture ;  it  is  a  good  deal  better  to  just  give  the  Scrip- 
ture for  these  tilings,  and  then  if  you  do  not  like  it  you 
can  quarrel  with  Scripture,  and  not  with  me.  Let  no 
man  say  that  I  have  been  saying  who  is  going  to 
heaven  and  who  is  not;  I  will  let  the  Scripture  speak 
for  itself :  "Know  ye  not  that  the  unrighteous  shall 
not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God?"     I  Cor.  vi,  9. 

But  the  unrighteous — the  adulterers,  the  fornicators 
and  thieves — these  men  may  all  inherit  it  if  they  will 
only  turn  away  from  their  sins.  "  Let  the  wicked  for- 
sake his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts ; " 
but  if  the  unrighteous  man  says:  "  I  will  not  turn  away 
from  sin;  I  will  hold  on  to  sin  and  have  heaven,"  he  is 
deceiving  himself. 

A  man  who  steals  my  pocket-book  loses  a  good  deal 
more  than  I  do.  I  can  afford  to  let  him  have  my  pocket- 
book  a  great  deal  better  than  he  can  afford  to  take  it. 
See  how  much  that  man  who  steals  my  pocket-book 
loses.  Perhaps  he  may  get  a  few  dollars;  or  he  may 
steal  my  coat ;  but  he  does  not  get  much.  See  how 
much  he  has  lost.  Take  an  inventory  of  what  that 
man  loses  if  he  loses  heaven.  Think  of  it.  No  thief 
shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God.  To  any  thief  I 
would  say:  "  Steal  no  more."  Let  him  ask  God  to  for- 
give him ;  let  him  repent  of  his  sin  and  turn  to  God. 
If  you  get  eternal  life  it  is  worth  more  than  the  whole 
world.  If  you  were  to  steal  the  whole  world,  you 
would  not  get  much,  after  all.  The  whole  world  does 
not  amount  to  much,  if  you  have  not  eternal  life  with 
it,  to  enjoy  yourself  in  the  future. 


BY  ANNA   SHIPTON. 

Who  are  they  whose  songs  are  sounding 
O'er  the  golden  harps  above? 

Hark!  they  tell  of  grace  abounding, 
And  Jehovah's  sovereign  love. 

Who  are  they  that  keep  their  station 
Round  the  great  eternal  throne? 

They  from  earthly  tribulation 
To  their  heavenly  rest  are  gone. 

See  their  robes  of  dazzling  whiteness, 
Without  blemish,  spot,  or  stain ; 

See  their  crowns  that  grow  in  brightness, 
Purchased  by  the  Lamb  once  slain. 

Never  heat  shall  beat  upon  them, 
Thirst  nor  hunger  reach  them  there; 

He,  whose  life  from  death  hath  won  them, 
Bids  them  now  His  glory  share. 

Feeble  hearts  are  nerved  for  duty, 
Faltering  feet  now  firmly  stand. 

Palms  of  heaven's  unfading  beauty 
Mark  earth's  once  despised  band. 

'Tis  the  Lamb  of  God  who  leads  them, 
And  they  serve  Him  night  and  day; 

By  the  heavenly  fount  He  feeds  them, 
He  hath  wiped  their  tears  away. 

Sweet  their  theme!    'Tis  still,  "  Salvation 
Unto  Christ,  the  Holy  One!  " 

And  their  sighs  of  tribulation 
Change  to  songs  around  the  throne. 


40 


eH°ea^en: 
ITS  HAPPINESS. 


"©Y^ftaf  !  J\fnioAl-  J^°orT|e  ?" 


"What!  almost  home? "     ''  Yes,  almost  home,"  she  said, 
And  light  seemed  gleaming  on  her  aged  head. 

"  Jesus  is  very  precious! "     Those  who  near 
Her  bedside  stood  were  thrilled  those  words  to  hear. 

"  Toward  His  blest  home  I  turn  my  willing  feet; 
Hinder  me  not;  I  go  my  Lord  to  meet.' 
Silence  ensued.     She  seemed  to  pass  away, 
Serene  and  quiet  as  that  summer  day. 

"  Speak,"  cried  through  tears  her  daughter,  bending  low, 

"  One  word,  beloved  mother,  ere  you  go." 
She  spoke  that  word;  the  last  she  spoke  on  earth. 
In  whispering  tones — that  word  of  wondrous  worth: 

"  JESUS!  "     The  sorrowing  Hsteners  caught  the  sound. 
But  angels  heard  it  with  a  joy  profound. 
Back,  at  its  mighty  power,  the  gates  unfold — 
The  gates  of  pearl  that  guard  the  streets  of  gold. 
The  harpers  with  their  harps  took  up  the  strain, 
And  sang  the  triumph  of  the  Lord  again. 
As  through  the  open  portals  entered  in 
Another  soul  redeemed  from  death  and  sin. 
And  as  from  earth  the  spirit  passed  away, 
To  dwell  forever  in  the  realms  of  day, 
Those  who  were  left  to  mourn  could  almost  hear 
The  strains  of  heavenly  music  strike  the  ear. 
And  to  their  longing  eyes  by  grace  was  given. 
In  such  a  scene,  as  'twere,  a  ghmpse  of  heaven. 

— Unknown. 


42 


ITS  HAPPINESS.  43 


CHAPTER  III. 

ITS    HAPPINESS 


Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  hath  it  entered  into  the 
heart  ot  man,  the  things  which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that 
love  him.    Isaiah  Ixiv,  4.    I  Cor.  ii,  9. 

If  there  is  one  word  above  another  that  will  swing 
open  the  eternal  gates,  it  is  the  name  of  Jesus.  There 
are  a  great  many  pass-words  and  by-words  down  here, 
but  that  will  be  the  countersign  up  above.  Jesus  Christ 
is  the  ''  Open  Sesame  "  to  heaven.  Any  one  who  tries 
to  climb  up  some  other  way,  is  a  thief  and  a  robber. 
But  when  we  get  in,  what  a  joy  above  every  other  joy 
we  can  think  ot,  will  it  be  to  see  Jesus  Himself  all  the 
time,  and  to  be  with  Him  continually. 

Isaiah  has  given  this  promise  of  God  to  every  one 
who  is  saved  through  faith:  "Thine  eyes  shall  see  the 
King  in  His  beauty;  they  shall  behold  the  land  that  is 
very  far  off."  Some  of  us  may  not  be  able  to  go 
around  the  world.  We  may  not  be  able  to  see  any  of 
the  foreign  countries;  but  every  Christian  by  and  by 
is  going  to  see  a  land  that  is  very  far  off.  This  is  our 
Promised  Land.  John  Milton  says  of  the  saints  who 
have  gone  already: 

"  They  walk  with  God 
High  in  salvation,  and  the  cUmes  of  bhss." 


44  jSEAVEN: 

It  is  a  blissful  climate  up  tliere.  People  down  here 
look  around  a  great  deal  to  find  a  good  climate  where 
they  will  not  be  troubled  by  any  of  their  pains  or  aches, 
but  the  climate  of  heaven  is  so  fine  that  no  pains 
or  aches  can  hold  out  against  it.  There  will  be  no 
room  to  find  fault.  We  shall  leave  all  our  pains  and  aches 
behind  us,  and  find  an  everlasting  health,  such  as  earth 
can  never  know. 

But  you  know  the  glory  of  Christ  as  reigning  King 
of  heaven  would  be  something  too  much  for  mortal 
eyes  to  endure.    In  1st  Timothy,  vi,  we  read  of  Christ  as : 

"  The  blessed  and  only  Potentate,  the  King  of  Kings,  and  Lord  of 
Lords;  Who  only  hath  immortality,  dwelling  in  the  hght  which  no 
man  can  approach  into;  Whom  no  man  hath  seen  nor  can  see." 

As  mortals,  we  cannot  see  that  light.  Our  feeble 
faculties  would  be  dazzled  before  such  a  blaze  of  glory. 

In  Ezekiel  i,  28,  we  read  of  that  prophet  having  a 
faint  glimpse  of  it: 

"  As  the  appearance  of  the  bow  that  is  in  the  cloud  in  the  day  of 
rain,  so  was  the  appearance  of  the  brightness  round  about.  This 
was  the  appearance  of  the  likeness  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord.  And 
when  I  saw  it,  I  fell  upon  my  face." 

We  are  amazed  at  ordinary  perfections  now.  None 
of  us  can  look  the  sun  squarely  in  the  face.  But  when 
this  corruptible  shall  have  put  on  incorruption,  as 
Paul  says,  the  power  of  the  soul  will  be  stronger. 
We  shall  be  able  to  see  Christ  in  His  glory  then. 
Though  the  moon  be  confounded  and  the  sun  ashamed, 
yet  we  shall  see  Him  as  He  is.  This  is  what  will  make 
heaven  so  happy.  We  all  know  that  great  happiness 
cannot  be  found  on  earth.  Reason,  revelation,  and  the 
experience  of  six  thousand  years,  all  tell  us  that.     No 


ITS  HAPPINESS.  45 


human  creature  has  the  power  to  give  it.  Even  doing 
good  fails  to  give  it  fully,  for,  owing  to  sin  in  the 
world,  even  the  best  have  not  perfect  happiness  here. 
They  have  to  wait  for  heaven ;  although  they  may  be 
so  near  it  sometimes  that  they  can  see  heralds  of  its  joy 
and  beauty,  as  Columbus  saw  the  strange  and  beautiful 
birds  hovering  around  his  ships  long  before  he  caught 
sight  of  America. 

All  the  joys  Ave  are  to  know  in  heaven  will  come  from 
the  presence  of  God.  This  is  the  leading  thought  in 
all  that  the  Scripture  has  to  say  on  the  subject.  What 
life  on  this  earth  is  without  health,  life  in  heaven 
would  be  without  the  presence  of  God.  God's  pres- 
ence will  be  the  very  light  and  life  of  the  place.  It  is 
said  that  one  translation  of  the  words  describing  the 
presence  of  God  is  "  a  happy  making  sight."  It  will 
be  a  sight  like  the  return  of  a  long-lost  boy  to  his 
mother,  or  the  first  glimpse  of  your  home  after  you 
have  been  a  long  time  away.  Some  of  you  know  how 
a  little  sunshine  on  a  dark  day,  or  the  face  of  a  kind 
friend  in  trouble,  often  cheers  us  up.  Well,  it  will  be 
something  like  that,  only  a  thousand  times  better.  Our 
preceptions  of  God  will  be  clearer  then,  and  that  will 
make  us  love  Him  all  the  more. 

The  more  we  know  God,  the  more  we  love  Him.  A 
great  many  of  us  would  love  God  more  if  we  only  be- 
came better  acquainted  with  Him.  While  on  earth  it 
gives  Christians  great  pleasure  to  think  of  the  perfec- 
tion of  Jesus  Christ,  but  how  will  it  be  when  we  see 
Him  as  He  is? 


46  HEAVEN 


WE    SHALL    BE    LIKE    CHRIST. 

Some  one  once  asked  a  Christian  what  he  expected 
to  do  when  he  got  to  heaven  ?  He  said  he  expected  to 
spend  the  first  thousand  years  looking  at  Jesus  Christ, 
and  after  that  he  Avould  look  for  Peter,  and  then  for 
James,  and  for  John,  and  all  the  time  he  could  con- 
ceive of  would  be  joyfully  filled  with  looking  upon 
these  great  persons.  But  it  seems  to  me  that  one  look 
at  Jesus  Christ  will  more  than  rew^ard  us  for  all  we 
have  ever  done  for  Him  down  here;  for  all  the  sacri- 
fices we  can  possibly  make  for  Him,  just  to  see  Him ; 
only  to  see  Him.  But  we  shall  become  like  Him  when 
we  once  have  seen  Him,  because  we  shall  luave  His 
Spirit.  Jesus,  the  Savior  of  the  world,  will  be  there, 
and  we  shall  see  Him  face  to  face. 

It  will  not  be  the  pearly  gates;  nor  the  jasper 
walls,  or  the  streets  paved  with  transparent  gold,  that 
will  make  it  heaven  to  us.  These  would  not  satisfy  us. 
If  these  were  all,  we  would  not  want  to  stay  there  for- 
ever. I  heard  of  a  child  whose  mother  was  very  sick; 
and  while  she  lay  very  low,  one  of  the  neighbors  took 
the  child  away  to  stay  with  her  until  the  mother  should 
be  well  again.  But  instead  of  getting  better,  the 
mother  died ;  and  they  thought  they  would  not  take  the 
child  home  until  the  funeral  Avas  all  over;  and  would 
never  tell  her  about  her  mother  beino^  dead.  So  a  while 
afterward  they  brought  the  little  girl  home.  First  she 
went  into  the  sitting-room  to  find  her  mother;  then  she 
went  into  the  parlor,  to  find  her  mother  there ;  and  she 
went  from  one  end  of  the  house  to  the  other,  and  could 
not  find  her.  At  last  she  said,  "  AVhere  is  my  mamma?  " 
And  when  they  told  her  her  mamma  was  gone,  the  little 


ITS  HAPPINESS.  47 


thing  wanted  to  go  back  to  the  neighbor's  house  again. 
Home  had  lost  its  attraction  to  her  since  her  mother 
was  not  there  any  longer.  No  ;  it  will  not  be  the  jasper 
walls  and  the  pearly  gates  that  will  make  heaven  at- 
tractive. It  is  our  being  with  God.  We  shall  be  in 
the  presence  of  the  Redeemer ;  we  shall  be  forever  with 
the  Lord. 

There  was  a  time  when  I  used  to  think  more  of 
Jesus  Christ  than  I  did  of  the  Father;  Christ  seemed 
to  be  so  much  nearer  to  me  because  He  had  become 
the  Days  Man  between  me  and  God.  In  my  imagina- 
tion I  put  God  away  on  the  throne  as  a  stern  judge, 
but  Christ  had  come  in  as  the  mediator,  and  it  seemed 
as  if  Christ  was  much  nearer  to  me  than  God,  the 
Father.  I  got  over  that  years  ago,  when  God  gave 
me  a  son,  and  for  ten  years  I  had  an  only  son,  and  as  I 
looked  at  the  child  as  he  grew  up,  the  thought  came  to 
me  that  it  took  more  love  for  God  to  give  up  His  Son 
than  it  did  for  His  Son  to  die.  Think  of  the  love  that 
God  had  for  this  world  when  He  gave  Christ  up! 

If  you  will  turn  to  Acts  vii,  55,  you  will  find  that 
when  Stephen  was  being  stoned  he  lifted  up  his  eyes, 
and  it  seemed  as  if  God  rolled  back  the  curtain  of  time 
and  allowed  him  to  look  into  the  eternal  city,  and  see 
Christ  standing  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  When 
Jesus  Christ  went  on  high  He  led  captivity  captive,  and 
took  His  seat,  for  His  work  was  done;  but  when  Ste- 
phen saw  Him  He  was  standing  up,  and  I  can  imagine 
He  saw  that  martyr  fighting,  as  it  were,  single-handed 
and  alone,  the  first  martyr,  though  many  were  to  come 
after  him.  You  can  hear  the  tramp  of  the  millions 
coming  after  him,  to  lay  down  their  lives  for  the  Sou 


48  HEAVEN. 


of  God.  But  Stephen  led  the  van;  he  was  the  first 
martyr,  and  as  he  was  dying  for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
he  looked  up;  Christ  was  standing  to  give  him  a 
welcome,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  came  down  to  bear  Avit- 
ness  that  Christ  was  there.     How  then  can  we  doubt  it  ? 

A  beggar  does  not  enjoy  looking  at  a  palace.  The 
grandeur  of  its  architecture  is  lost  upon  him.  Looking 
upon  a  royal  banquet  does  not  satisfy  the  hunger  of  a 
starving  man.  But  seeing  heaven  is  also  having  a  share 
ill  it.  There  would  be  no  joy  there  if  we  did  not  feel 
that  some  of  it  was  ours.  God  unites  the  soul  to  Him- 
self. We  read  in  II  Peter  that  we  are  made  partakers 
of  the  divine  nature.  Now  if  you  put  a  piece  of  iron 
in  the  fire,  it  very  soon  loses  its  dark  color,  and  becomes 
red  and  hot  like  the  fire,  but  it  does  not  lose  its  iron 
nature.  So  the  soul  becomes  bright  Avith  God's  bright- 
ness, beautiful  with  God's  beauty,  pure  Tvdth  God's 
purity,  and  warm  with  the  glow  of  His  perfect  love,  and 
yet  remains  a  human  soul.  We  shall  be  like  Him,  but 
remain  ourselves. 

There  is  a  fable  that  a  kind-hearted  king  was  once 
hunting  in  a  forest,  and  found  a  blind  orphan  boy,  who 
was  living  almost  like  a  beast.  The  king  was  touched 
with  pity,  and  adopted  the  boy  as  his  own,  and  had 
him  taught  all  that  can  be  learned  by  one  who  is  blind. 
When  he  reached  his  twenty-first  year,  the  king,  who 
was  also  a  great  physician,  restored  the  youth  his  sight, 
and  took  him  to  his  palace,  where,  surrounded  by  his 
nobles  and  all  the  majesty  and  magnificence  of  his 
court,  he  proclaimed  him  one  of  his  sons,  and  com- 
manded all  to  give  him  their  honor  and  love.  The 
oTice  friendless  orphan  thus  became  a  prince  and  a 


ITS  HAPPINESS.  49 


sharer  in  the  royal  dignity,  and  of  all  the  liappiness 
and  glory  to  be  found  in  the  palace  of  a  king.  Who 
can  tell  the  joy  that  overwhelmed  the  soul  of  that  young 
man  when  he  first  saw  the  king,  of  whose  beauty  and 
goodness  and  poAver  he  had  heard  so  much  ?  AYho  can 
tell  the  happiness  he  must  have  felt  when  he  saw  his 
own  princely  attire,  and  found  himself  adopted  into  the 
royal  family — honored  and  beloved  by  all? 

Now^  Christ  is  the  great  and  mighty  King  who  finds 
our  souls  in  the  wilderness  of  this  sinful  w^orld.  He 
finds  us,  as  we  read  in  the  3d  chapter  of  Revelation, 
"  wretched  and  miserable,  and  poor  and  blind  and 
naked."  We  read  in  the  1st  chapter  of  the  same  book, 
He  "washed  us  from  our  sins  in  His  own  blood;"  and 
again,  in  the  61st  chapter  of  Isaiah,  He  has  clothed  us 
with  a  spotless  robe  of  innocence,  ''Avith  the  garments 
of  salvation;"  He  has  covered  us  "  Avith  a  robe  of 
righteousness  as  a  bridegroom  decketh  himself  with 
ornaments,  and  as  a  bride  adorneth  herself  with 
jeAvels." 

The  mission  of  the  Gospel  to  sinners,  as  we  find  it 
in  the  26th  chapter  of  Acts,  was,  "to  open  their  eyes, 
and  to  turn  them  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the 
power  of  Satan  unto  God,  that  they  may  receive  for- 
giveness of  sins  and  inheritance  among  them  which  are 
sanctified  by  faith  that  is  in  Me."  This  is  Avhat  Christ 
has  done  for  every  Christian.  He  has  adorned  you 
with  the  gift  of  grace,  and  adopted  you  as  His  child, 
and  as  it  says  in  the  3d  chapter  of  I  Corinthians: 

"All  things  are  yours;  whether  Paul,  or  Apollos,  or  Cephas,  or 
the  world,  or  life,   or  death,  or  things  present,  or  things  to  come — 
all  are  yours,  and  ye  are  Christ's,  and  Christ  is  God's." 
4 


50  HEAVEN: 


He  lias  given  you  His  own  Word  to  educate  you  for 
heaven ;  He  lias  opened  your  eyes  so  that  now  you  see. 
By  His  grace  and  your  own  co-operation  your  soul  is 
being  gradually  developed  into  a  more  perfect  resem- 
blance to  Him. 

Finally,  your  Heavenly  Father  calls  you  home, 
where  you  will  see  the  angels  and  saints  clothed  with 
the  beauty  of  Christ  Himself,  standing  around  His 
throne,  and  hearing  the  word  that  will  admit  you  into 
their  society,  "Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful  serv- 
ant, enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord."  In  the 
16tli  chapter  of  John,  Christ  Himself  says:  "  All  things 
that  the  Father  hath  are  Mine;  therefore,  said  I,  that 
He  shall  take  of  Mine,  and  shall  show  it  unto  you." 
All  will  be  yours.  Ah,  how  poor  and  mean  do  earthly 
pleasures  seem  by  comparison.  How  true  those  lines 
of  a  Scotch  poet: 

"  The  Avorld  can  never  give 

The  bliss  for  which  we  sigh; 
'Tis  not  the  whole  of  life  to  Hve, 

Nor  all  of  death  to  die. 
Beyond  this  vale  of  tears 

There  is  a  life  above, 
Unmeasured  by  the  flight  of  years, 

And  all  that  life  is  love." 

OVER  THE  RIVER. 

There  is  joy  in  heaven,  we  are  told,  over  the  conver- 
sions that  take  place  on  earth.  In  Luke  xv,  7,  we 
read:  "  I  say  unto  you  that  likewise  joy  shall  be  in 
heaven  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth,  more  than  over 
ninety-and-nine  just  persons  which  need  no  repent- 
ance." When  there  is  going  to  be  an  election  for 
President  of  the  United  States,  there  is  tremendous 


ITS  HAPPINESS.  51 


excitement — a  great  commotion.  There  is  probably  not 
a  paper  from  Maine  to  California  that  would  not  have 
something  on  nearly  every  page  about  the  candidate; 
the  whole  country  is  excited ;  but  I  doubt  if  it  Avould  be 
noticed  in  heaven.  If  Queen  Victoria  should  leave  her 
throne,  there  would  be  great  excitement  throughout  the 
nations  of  the  earth ;  the  whole  Avorld  would  be  inter- 
ested in  the  event;  it  would  be  telegraphed  around  the 
world;  but  it  would  probably  be  overlooked  altogether 
in  heaven.  Yet  if  one  little  boy  or  girl,  one  man  or 
one  woman,  should  repent  of  their  sins,  this  day  and 
hour  that  would  be  noticed  in  heaven.  They  look  at 
things  difierently  up  there ;  things  that  look  very  large 
to  us,  look  very  small  in  heaven;  and  things  that  seem 
very  small  to  us  down  here,  may  be  very  great  up  yon- 
der. Think  of  it!  By  an  act  of  our  own,  we  may 
cause  joy  in  heaven.  The  thought  seems  almost  too 
wonderful  to  understand.  To  think  that  the  poorest 
sinner  on  earth,  by  an  act  of  his  own,  can  send  a  thrill 
of  joy  through  the  hosts  of  heaven ! 

The  Bible  says:  "  There  is  joy  in  the  presence  of 
the  angels,"  not  that  the  angels  rejoice,  but  it  is  "  in 
the  presence  "  of  the  angels.  I  have  studied  over  that 
a  great  deal,  and  often  wondered  what  it  meant.  "  Joy 
in  the  presence  of  the  angels  ?  "  Now,  it  is  speculation ; 
I  admit  it  may  be  true,  or  it  may  not;  but  perhaps  the 
friends  who  have  left  the  shores  of  time — they  who 
have  gone  within  the  fold — may  be  looking  down  upon 
us;  and  when  they  see  one  they  prayed  for  while  on 
earth  repenting  and  turning  to  God,  it  sends  a  thrill  of 
joy  to  their  very  hearts.  Even  now,  some  mother  who 
has  gone  up  yonder  may  be  looking  down  upon  a  son 


52  HEAVEN: 


or  daughter,  and  if  tliat  child  should  say:  "I  will  meet 
that  mother  of  mine ;  I  will  repent ;  yes,  I  am  going  to 
join  you,  mother,"  the  news,  with  the  speed  of  a 
sunbeam,  reaches  heaven,  and  that  mother  may  then 
rejoice,  as  we  read,  "  In  the  presence  of  the  angels." 

In  Dublin,  after  one  of  the  meetings,  a  man  walked 
into  the  inquiry  room  with  his  daughter,  his  only  one, 
whose  mother  had  died  some  time  before,  and  he 
prayed:  "  O  God,  let  this  truth  go  deep  into  my  daugh- 
ter's heart,  and  grant  that  the  prayers  of  her  mother 
may  be  answered  to-day — that  she  may  be  saA^ed."  As 
they  rose  up  she  put  her  arms  about  his  neck  and  kissed 
him,  and  said:  ''I  want  to  meet  my  mother;  I  want  to 
be  a  Christian."  That  day  she  accepted  Christ.  That 
man  is  now  a  minister  in  Texas.  The  daughter  died 
out  there  a  little  while  ago,  and  is  now  with  her  mother 
in  heaven.  What  a  blessed  and  joyful  meeting  it  must 
have  been !  It  may  be  a  sister,  it  may  be  a  brother, 
who  is  beckoning  you  over — 

"  Over  the  river  they  beckon  to  me, 

Loved  ones  who've  crossed  to  the  farther  side; 
The  gleam  of  their  snowy  robes  I  see, 

But  their  voices  are  drowned  in  the  rushing  tide. 
There's  one  with  ringlets  of  sunny  gold, 

And  eyes,  the  reflection  of  heaven's  own  blue; 
He  crossed  in  the  twilight  gray  and  cold, 

And  the  pale  mist  hid  him  from  mortal  view. 
We  saw  not  the  angels  who  met  him  there. 

The  gates  of  the  city  we  could  not  see; 
Over  the  river,  over  the  river. 

My  brother  stands  waiting  to  welcome  me." 

Whoever  you  are,  do  not  delay. 

The  story  is  told  of  a  father  who  had  his  little  daugh- 
ter out  late  in  the  evening.     The  night  was  dark,  and 


ITS  HAPPINESS.  53 


they  had  passed  through  a  thick  wood  to  the  brink  of 
a  river.  Far  away  on  the  opposite  shore  a  light  twinkled 
here  and  there  in  the  few  scattered  houses,  and  still 
farther  off  blazed  the  bright  lights  of  the  great  city  to 
which  they  were  going.  The  little  child  was  weary 
and  sleepy,  and  the  father  held  her  in  his  arms  while 
he  waited  for  the  ferryman,  who  was  at  the  other  side. 
At  length  they  saw  a  little  light;  nearer  and  nearer 
came  the  sound  of  the  oars,  and  soon  they  were  safe  in 
the  boat. 

"Father,"  said  the  little  girl. 

"Well,  my  child?" 

"It's  very  dark,  and  I  can't  see  the  shore ;  where  are 
we  going  ?  " 

"The  ferryman  knows  the  way,  little  one;  we  will 
soon  be  over." 

"  O,  I  wish  we  were  there,  father." 

Soon  in  her  home  loving  arms  welcomed  her,  and  her 
fears  and  her  tremor  were  gone.  Some  months  pass  by, 
and  this  same  little  child  stands  on  the  brink  of  a  river 
that  is  darker  and  deeper,  more  terrible  still.  It  is  the 
River  of  Death.  The  same  loving  father  stands  near 
her,  distressed  that  his  child  must  cross  this  river  and 
he  not  be  able  to  go  with  her.  For  days  and  for  nights 
he  and  her  mother  have  been  watching  over  her,  leav- 
ing her  bedside  only  long  enough  for  their  meals,  and 
to  pray  for  the  life  of  their  precious  one.  For  hours 
she  has  been  slumbering,  and  it  seems  as  if  her  spirit 
must  pass  away  without  her  Avaking  again,  but  just  be- 
fore the  morning  watch  she  suddenly  awakes  with  the 
eye  bright,  the  reason  unclouded,  and  every  faculty 
alive.     A  sweet  smile  is  playing  upon  her  face. 


54  HEAVEN: 

"  Fatlier,"  slie  says,  "  I  have  come  again  to  the  river 
side,  and  am  again  waiting  for  the  ferryman  to  come 
and  take  me  across." 

^'Does  it  seem  as  dark  and  cold  as  when  you  went 
over  the  other  river,  my  child?" 

"O  no!  There  is  no  darkness  here.  The  river  is 
covered  with  floating  silver.  The  boat  coming  toward 
me  seems  made  of  solid  light,  and  I  am  not  afraid  of 
the  ferryman." 

"  Can  you  see  over  the  river,  my  darling?  " 

"  O  yes,  there  is  a  great  and  beautiful  city  there, 
all  filled  with  light;  and  I  hear  music  such  as  the  an- 
gels make! " 

"Do  you  see  any  one  on  the  other  side?" 

"Why  yes,  yes,  I  see  the  most  beautiful  form;  and 
He  beckons  me  now  to  come.  Oh,  ferryman,  make 
haste !  I  know  who  it  is !  It  is  Jesus ;  my  own  blessed 
Jesus.  I  shall  be  caught  in  His  arms.  I  shall  rest 
on  His  bosom — I  come — I  come." 

And  thus  she  crossed  over  the  River  of  Death,  made 
like  a  silver  stream  by  the  presence  of  the  blessed 
Redeemer. 

SOMETHING    MORE. 

There  is  hardly  an  unconverted  man  anywhere,  no 
matter  how  high  up  or  how  rich  he  may  be,  but  will 
tell  you,  if  you  get  his  confidence,  that  he  is  not  happy. 
There  is  something  he  wants  that  he  cannot  get,  or 
there  is  something  he  has  that  he  wants  to  get  rid  of.  It 
is  very  doubtful  if  the  Czar  of  all  the  Russias  is  a 
happy  man,  and  yet  he  has  about  all  he  can  get.  Al- 
though Queen  Victoria  has  palaces,  and  millions  at  her 


ITS  HAPPINESS.  «        55 


command,  and  has  besides  what  most  sovereigns  lack, 
the  love  of  her  subjects,  it  is  a  question  whether  she 
gets  much  pleasure  out  of  her  position.  If  kings  and 
queens  love  the  Jesus  Christ  and  are  saved,  then  they 
may  be  happy.  If  they  know  they  will  reach  heaven 
like  the  humblest  of  their  subjects,  then  they  may  rest 
secure.  Paul,  the  humble  tent-maker,  will  have  a 
higher  seat  in  heaven  than  the  best  and  greatest  sov- 
ereign that  ever  ruled  the  earth.  If  the  Czar  should 
meet  John  Bunyan,  the  poor  tinker,  up  in  heaven,  he 
no  doubt  would  find  him  the  greater  man. 

The  Christian  life  is  the  only  happy  one.  Without 
it  something  is  always  wanting.  When  we  are  young 
we  have  grand  enterprises,  but  we  soon  spoil  them  by 
being  too  rash.  AVe  want  experience.  When  we  get 
old  w^e  have  the  experience,  but  then  all  the  power  to 
carry  out  our  schemes  is  gone.  "  Happy  is  that  people 
whose  God  is  the  Lord."  The  only  way  to  be  happy  is 
to  be  good.  The  man  who  steals  from  necessity  sins 
because  he  is  afraid  of  being  unhappy,  but  for  the 
moment  he  forgets  all  about  how  unhappy  the  sin  is 
going  to  make  him.  Bad  as  he  is,  man  is  the  best  and 
noblest  thing  on  earth,  and  it  is  easy  to  understand  how 
he  fails  to  find  true  happiness  in  anything  lower  than 
himself.  The  only  object  better  than  ourselves  is  God, 
aud  He  is  all  we  can  ever  be  satisfied  with.  Gold,  that 
is  mere  dross  dug  up  out  of  the  earth,  does  not  satisfy 
man.  Neither  do  the  honor  and  praise  of  other  men. 
The  human  soul  wants  something  more  than  that. 
Heaven  is  the  only  place  to  get  it.  No  wonder  that 
the  angels  who  see  God  all  the  time  are  so  happy. 

The  publicans  went  to  hunt  up  John  the  Baptist  in 


56        •  HEAVEN: 

the  wilderness,  to  know  what  they  should  do.  Some  of 
the  highest  men  in  the  land  went  to  consult  the  hermit 
to  know  how  to  get  happiness.  "  AVhosoever  trusteth 
in  the  Lord,  happy  is  he."  It  is  because  there  is  no 
real  happiness  down  here,  that  earth  is  not  worth  liv- 
ing for.  It  is  because  it  is  all  above,  that  heaven  is 
worth  dying  for.  In  heaven  there  is  all  life  and  no 
death.  In  hell  there  is  all  death  and  no  life.  Here 
on  -earth  there  is  both  living  and  dying,  which  is  be- 
tween the  two.  If  we  are  dead  to  sin  here  we  will  live 
in  heaven,  and  if  we  live  in  sin  here  we  must  expect 
eternal  death  to  follow. 

Do  you  know  that  every  Christian  dies  twice?  He 
first  becomes  spiritually  dead  to  sin — that  is  the  re- 
newed soul.  He  then  begins  to  feel  the  joy  of  heaven. 
The  joys  of  heaven  reach  down  to  earth  as  many  and  as 
sure  as  the  rays  of  the  sun.  Then  comes  physical 
death,  which  makes  way  for  the  physical  heaven.  Of 
course  the  old  sinful  body  has  to  be  changed.  We  can- 
not take  that  into  heaven.  It  will  be  a  glorified  body 
that  we  will  get  at  the  resurrection,  not  a  sinful  body. 
Our  bodies  will  be  transfigured  like  Christ's. 

There  will  be  no  temptation  in  heaven.  If  there 
were  no  temptation  in  the  world  now,  God  could  not 
prove  us.  He  wants  to  see  if  we  are  loyal.  That  is 
why  He  put  the  forbidden  tree  in  Paradise;  that  ac- 
counts for  the  presence  of  the  Canaanite  in  the  land  of 
Israel.  When  we^  plant  a  seed,  after  a  time  it  disap- 
pears and  brings  forth  a  seed  that  looks  much  the  same, 
but  still  it  is  a  different  seed.  So  our  bodies  and  the 
bodies  of  those  we  know  and  love  will  be  raised  up, 
looking  much  the  same — but   still   not  all  the  same. 


ITS  HAPPINESS.  57 


Christ  took  the  same  body  into  heaven  that  was  cruci- 
fied on  the  cross,  unless  He  was  transformed  in  the 
cloud  after  the  disciples  lost  sight  of  Him.  There 
must  have  been  some  change  in  the  appearance  of 
Christ  after  His  resurrection,  for  Mary  Magdalene, 
who  was  the  first  one  who  saw  Him  did  not  know  Him, 
neither  did  the  disciples,  who  walked  and  talked  with 
Him  about  Himself,  and  did  not  recognize  Him  until 
He  began  to  ask  a  blessing  at  supper.  Even  Peter 
did  not  know  Him  when  He  appeared  on  the  sea-shore. 
Thomas  would  not  believe  it  was  Christ  until  he  saw 
the  prints  of  the  nails  and  the  wound  in  His  side.  But 
we  shall  all  know  Him  in  heaven. 

There  are  two  things  that  the  Bible  makes  as  clear 
and  certain  as  eternity.  One  is  that  we  are  going  to 
see  Christ,  and  the  other  that  we  are  going  to  be  like 
Him.  God  will  never  hide  His  face  from  us  there, 
and  Satan  will  never  show  his. 

There  is  not  such  a  great  difference  between  grace 
and  glory  after  all.  Grace  is  the  bud,  and  glory  the 
blossom.  Grace  is  glory  begun,  and  glory  is  grace 
perfected.  It  Avill  not  come  hard  to  people  who  are 
serving  God  down  here  to  do  it  when  they  go  up  yon- 
der. They  will  change  places,  but  they  will  not 
change  employments. 

HIGHER   UP. 

The  moment  a  person  becomes  heavenly-minded  and 
gets  his  heart  and  affections  set  on  things  above,  then 
life  becomes  beautiful,  the  light  of  heaven  shines 
across  his  pathway,  and  he  does  not  have  to  be  all  the 
time  lashing  and  upbraiding  himself  because  he  is  not 


58  HEAVEN: 

more  like  Christ.  Some  one  asked  a  Scotchman  if  lie 
was  on  the  way  to  heaven,  and  he  said:  "AVhy  man,  I 
live  there;  I  am  not  on  the  way."  That  is  jnst  it. 
We  want  to  live  in  heaven;  while  we  are  walking  in 
this  world  it  is  our  privilege  to  have  our  hearts  and 
affections  there.  I  once  heard  Mr.  Morehouse  tell  a 
story  about  a  lady  in  London  who  found  one  of  those 
poor,  bed-ridden  saints,  and  then  she  found  a  wealthy 
woman  who  was  all  the  time  complaining  and  murmur- 
ing at  her  lot.  Sometimes  I  think  people  whom  God  does 
the  most  for  in  worldly  things  think  the  less  of  Him  and 
care  less  about  Him,  and  are  the  most  unproductive  in 
His  service.  But  this  lady  went  around  as  a  mission- 
ary visiting  the  poor,  and  she  used  to  go  and  visit  this 
poor,  bed-ridden  saint,  and  she  said  if  she  wanted  to 
get  cheered  up  and  her  heart  made  happy  she  would 
go  and  visit  her.  [There  is  a  place  in  Chicago,  and 
has  been  for  years,  where  a  great  many  Christians  have 
always  gone  when  they  want  to  get  their  faith  strength- 
ened; they  go  there  and  visit  one  of  these  saints.  And 
a  friend  told  me  that  she  thought  that  the  Lord  kept 
one  of  those  saints  in  most  of  the  cities  to  entertain 
angels  as  they  passed  over  the  cities  on  errands  of 
mercy,  for  it  seems  that  these  saints  are  often  visited 
by  the  heavenly  host.  ]  Well,  this  lady  missionary  had 
wanted  to  get  this  wealthy  woman  in  contact  with  this 
saint,  and  she  invited  her  to  go  a  number  of  times; 
and  finally  the  lady  consented  to  go,  and  when  she  got 
to  the  place,  she  went  up  the  first  fiiglit  of  stairs,  and 
it  was  not  very  clean,  and  was  dark. 

"  What  a  horrible  place,"   tho   lady  said;  "why  did 
you  bring  me  here  ?  " 


ITS  HAPPINESS.  59 


The  lady  smiled  and  said:   "  It  is  better  liiglier  up." 

And  then  they  went  up  another  flight,  and  it  didn't 

grow  any  lighter,  and  slie  complained  again,  and  the 

lady  said,   ''  It  is   better  higher  up."     And  then  tliey 

went  up  another  flight,  and  it  was  no  lighter ;  still  the 

missionary  kept  saying,  "  It  is  better  higher  up."     And 

when  they  got  to  the   fifth  story  they  opened  the  door, 

and  entered  a  beautiful  room,  a  room  that  was  carpeted, 

with  plants  in  the  window,  and  a  little  bird  was  in  a  cage 

singing,  and  there  was  that  saint  just  smiling,  and  the 

•&i'st  thing  the  complaining  woman  had  to  say  to  her  was : 

"  It  must  be  very  hard  for  you  to  be  here  and  suffer." 

"  Oh,  that  is  a  very  small  thing;  it  isnot  very  hard," 

she  said,  "it  is  better  higher  up." 

And  so  if  things  do  not  go  just  right,  if  they  do  not 
go  to  suit  us  here,  we  can  say,  "  It  is  better  higher  up, 
it  is  better  further  on,"  and  we  can   lift  up  our  hearts 
and  rejoice  as  we  journey  on  toward  home. 
You  know  those  beautiful  lines — 

"  Beyond  the  smiling  and  the  weeping, 

I  shall  be  soon; 
Beyond  the  waking  and  the  sleeping, 
Beyond  the  sowing  and  the  reaping, 

I  shall  be  soon. 
Love,  rest,  and  home! 

Sweet  Home! 
Lord,  tarry  not,  but  come. 

"  Beyond  the  rising  and  the  s'^.tting, 

I  shall  be  soon; 
Beyond  the  calming  and  the  fretting, 
"Beyond  remembering  and  forgetting, 

I  shall  be  soon. 
Love,  rest,  and  home ! 

Sweet  Hope ! 
Lord,  tarry  not,  but  come." 


BY  ANNA  SHIPTON. 

Nearer  and  nearer,  day  by  day,  the  distant  voices  come  ; 

Soft  through  the  pearly  gate  they  swell,  and  seem  to  call  me  home. 

The  lamp  of  life  burns  faint  and  low;  ay,  let  it  fainter  burn; 

For  who  would  weep  the  failing  lamp  when  birds  announce  the  morn? 

I  saw  the  faces  of  my  loved  gleam  through  the  twilight  dim. 

And  softly  on  the  morning  air  arose  the  heaven-born  hymn; 

With  looks  of  love  they  gazed  on  me,  as  none  gaze  on  me  now; 

The  glory  of  the  Infinite  surrounded  every  brow. 

Fair  lilies,  star-like  in  their  bloom,  and  waving  palms  they  bore, 

And  oh,  the  smiles  of  peace  and  joy  those  heavenly  faces  wore! 

Thou  who  hast  fathomed  death's  dark  tide,  save  me  from  death's 

alarms ; 
Beneath  my  trembling  soul,  oh,  stretch  Thine  everlasting  arms! 
No  second  cross,  no  thorny  crown  can  bruise  Thy  sacred  brow; 
Thou  who  the  wine-press  trod  alone,  o'er  the  dark  waves  bear  me 

now. 
A  parting  hour,  a  pang  of  pain,  and  then  shall  pass  away 
The  veil  that  shrouds  Thee  where  Thou  reign' st  in  everlasting  day. 
No  sin,  no  sigh,  no  withering  fear,  can  wring  the  bosom  there; 
But  basking  in  Thy  smile  I  shall  Thy  sinless  service  share. 
How  long,  O  Lord,  how  long  before  Thou'lt  take  me  by  the  hand, 
And  I,  Thy  weakest  child,  at  last  among  Thy  children  stand? 
Beyond  the  stars  that  steadfast  shine  my  spirit  pines  to  soar, 
To  dwell  within  my  Father's  house,  and  leave  that  home  no  more. 
O  Lord,  Thou  hast  with  angel  food  my  fainting  spirit  fed; 
If  'tis  Thy  will  I  linger  here,  bless  Thou  the  path  I  tread; 
And  though  my  soul  doth  pant  to  pass  v/ithin  the  pearly  gate. 
Yet  teach  me  for  Thy  summons.  Lord,  in  patience  still  to  wait. 


60 


G^^ea^s)e^: 
ITS  CERTAINTY. 


61 


^  3^'^^  '^  ^^  ^'^§^^  ^f  6\oc|, 


I  shine  in  the  light  of  God; 

His  likeness  stamps  my  brow; 
Through  the  Valley  of  Death  my  feet  have  trod, 

And  I  reign  in  glory  now ! 

No  breaking  heart  is  here. 

No  keen  and  thriUing  pain, 
No  wasted  cheek  where  the  frequent  tear 

Hath  rolled  and  left,  its  stain. 

^  ■^  ■^  H^  ^  :p  :|; 

O  friends  of  mortal  years, 

The  trusted  and  the  true, 
Ye  are  watching  stiU  in  the  valley  of  tears, 

But  I  wait  to  welcome  you. 

Do  I  forget?  Ono! 

For  memory's  golden  chain 
Shall  bind  my  heart  to  the  hearts  below 

Till  they  meet  to  touch  again. 

Each  hnk  is  strong  and  bright, 

And  love's  electric  flame 
Flows  freely  down,  hke  a  river  of  light, 

To  the  Avorld  from  whence  I  came. 

Do  you  mourn  when  another  star 

Shines  out  from  the  ghttering  sky? 
Do  you  weep  when  the  raging  voice  of  war 

And  the  storms  of  conflict  die? 

Then  why  should  your  tears  run  down. 

And  your  hearts  be  sorely  riven, 
For  another  gem  in  the  Savior's  crown, 

And  another  soul  in  heaven? 

— Fkom  ax  English  Feiexd, 


ITS  CERTAINTY.  63 


OHAPTEK  IV. 

ITS   CERTAINTY. 


In  My  Father's  house  are  many  mansions I  go  to 

prepare  a  place  for  you.    John  xiv,  2. 

There  are  some  people  who  depend  so  much  upon 
their  reason  that  they  reason  away  God.  They  say  God 
is  not  a  person  we  can  ever  see.  They  say  God  is  a 
Spirit.  So  He  is,  but  He  is  a  person  too ;  and  became 
a  man  and  walked  the  earth  once.  Scripture  tells  us 
very  plainly  that  God  has  a  dwelling-place.  There  is 
no  doubt  whatever  about  that.  A  dwelling-place  indi- 
cates personality.  God's  dwelling-place  is  in  heaven. 
He  has  a  dwelling-place,  and  we  are  going  to  be  in- 
mates of  it.     Therefore  we  shall  see  Him. 

In  I  Kings,  viii,  30,  we  read: 

"  And  hearken  Thou  to  the  suppHcation  of  Thy  servant,  and  of 
Thy  people  Israel,  when  they  shall  pray  toward  this  place;  and  hear 
Thou  in  heaven  Thy  dweUing-place;  and  when  Thou  hearest,  for- 
give." 

This  idea  that  heaven  is  everywhere  and  nowhere  is 
not  according  to  Scripture.  Heaven  is  God's  habita- 
tion, and  when  Christ  came  on  earth  He  taught  us  to 
pray:  "Our  Father,  which  art  in  heaven."  This  hab- 
itation is  spoken  of  as  "  the  city  of  eternal  life." 
Think  of  a  city  without  a  cemetery — they  have  no  dy- 
ing there,     If  there  could  be  such  a  cit^  as  that  found 


64  HEAVEN: 

on  this  earth  what  a  rush  there  would  be  to  it!  How 
men  would  try  to  reach  that  city !  You  cannot  find  one 
on  the  face  of  this  earth.  A  city  without  tears — God 
wipes  away  all  the  tears  up  yonder.  This  is  a  time  of 
weeping,  but  by-and-by  there  will  be  a  time  when  God 
shall  call  us  where  there  will  be  no  tears.  A  city 
without  pain,  a  city  without  sorrow,  without  sickness, 
without  deatli.  There  is  no  darkness  there.  "The 
Lamb  is  the  light  thereof."  It  needs  no  sun,  it  needs 
no  moon.  The  paradise  of  Eden  Avas  as  nothing  com- 
pared Avitli  this  one.  The  tempter  came  into  Eden  and 
triumphed,  but  in  that  city  nothing  that  defileth  shall 
ever  enter.  There  will  be  no  tempter  there.  Think 
of  a  place  where  temptation  cannot  come.  Think  of  a 
place  where  we  shall  be  free  from  sin ;  where  pollution 
cannot  enter,  and  where  the  righteous  shall  reign  for- 
ever. Think  of  a  city  that  is  not  built  with  hands, 
where  the  buildings  do  not  grow  old  with  time;  a  city 
whose  inhabitants  are  numbered  by  no  census,  except 
the  Book  of  Life,  which  is  the  heavenly  directory. 
Think  of  a  city  through  whose  streets  runs  no  tide  of 
business,  where  no  hearses  with  their  nodding  plumes 
creep  slowly  with  their  sad  burdens  to  the  cemetery ;  a 
city  without  griefs  or  graves,  without  sins  or  sorrows, 
without  marriages  or  mournings,  without  births  or 
burials;  a  city  which  glories  in  having  Jesus  for  its 
King,  angels  for  its  guards,  and  whose  citizens  are 
saints ! 

We  believe  this  is  just  as  much  a  place  and  just  as 
much  a  city  as  is  New  York,  London  or  Paris.  We 
believe  in  it  a  good  deal  more,  because  earthly  cities 
will  pass   away,  but  this  city  Avill  remain  forever.     It 


ITS  CERTAINTY.  65 


has  foundations  whose  bailder  and  maker  is  God. 
Some  of  the  grandest  cities  the  workl  has  ever  known 
have  not  had  foundations  strong  enough  to  last. 

TYRE  AND    SIDON. 

Take  for  instance  Tyre  and  Sidon.  They  were  rival 
cities  something  like  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  or 
St.  Louis  and  Chicago.  AVhen  the  patriarch  Jacob 
gave  his  sons  his  blessing,  he  spoke  of  Sidon.  In  the 
splitting  up  of  Canaan  among  the  tribes  of  Israel  by 
Joshua,  Tyre  and  Sidon  seem  to  have  fallen  to  the  lot 
of  Asher,  though  the  old  inhabitants  were  never  fully 
driven  out.  We  read  in  Mark:  "  Jesus  withdrew  Him- 
self with  His  disciples  to  the  sea,  and  a  great  multitude 
from  Galilee  followed  Him,  and  from  Judea  and  from 
Jerusalem,  and  from  Idumoea  and  from  beyond  Jordan; 
and  they  about  Tyre  and  Sidon,  a  great  multitude, 
when  they  heard  what  things  He  did,  came  unto  Him." 
We  find  in  Acts  xvii,  3,  that  the  Captain  of  the  guards 
who  was  taking  Paul  prisoner  to  appear  before  Csesar 
at  Rome,  when  the  ship  touched  at  Sidon  let  Paul  go 
and  visit  some  of  his  friends  there  to  refresh  himself. 
From  this  it  has  been  inferred  that  at  that  time  there 
must  have  been  a  Christian  church  there,  although  the 
people  generally  worshiped  the  Queen  of  Heaven,  who 
was  represented  as  crowned  with  the  crescent  moon. 

There  are  some  persons  now,  you  know,  who  adore 
a  Queen  of  Heaven,  whom  they  picture  with  the  moon 
beneath  her  feet.  Even  the  Hebrews,  when  they  saw 
"  the  moon  walking  in  brightness,"  along  the  clear 
skies  of  Palestine,  impressed  by  its  beauty,  fell  into  the 
same  idolatry.  Jeremiah  says: 
6 


66  HEAVEN: 

"  The  children  gather  wood,  and  the  fathers  kindle  the  fire,  and 
the  women  knead  their  dough,  to  make  cakes  to  the  Queen  of 
Heaven,  and  to  pour  out  drink  offerings  unto  other  gods." 

In  answer  to  the  prophet's  reproof  we  find  them  say- 
ing, in  the  44tli  chapter,  beginning  at  the  16tli  verse: 

"  As  for  the  word  that  thou  hast  spoken  unto  us  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  we  will  not  hearken  unto  thee,  but  we  will  certainly  do 
whatsoever  thing  goeth  out  of  our  own  mouth,  to  burn  incense 
unto  the  Queen  of  Heaven,  and  to  pour  out  drink  offerings  unto 
her,  as  we  have  done." 

Is  it  any  wonder  that  a  little   farther  on  we  sliould 

find  addressed  to  them  this  language : 

"  The  Lord  could  no  longer  bear,  because  of  the  evil  of  your  do- 
ings, and  because  of  the  abominations  which  ye  have  committed; 
therefore  is  your  land  a  desolation,  and  an  astonishment,  and  a 
curse,  without  an  inhabitant,  as  at  this  day." 

In  the  resurrection  they  neither  marry  nor  are  given 
in  marriage,  and  there  will  be  no  "  Queen  "  in  heaven. 

Tyre  is  mentioned  by  Joshua  as    "a  strong  city," 

and  both  Isaiah  and  Ezekiel  speak  of  it.     In  fact,  there 

is  a  great  deal  in  Scripture  about  it.     Nebuchadnezzar, 

Alexandei  the  Great,  and  other  kings  have  fought  over 

it,  and  hosts  of  lives  have  been  lost  in  taking  what  is 

now  a  ruin.     Alexander  once  destroyed  it,  but  it  was 

afterward  rebuilt.     We  find  in  the  inspired  Word  of 

God  descriptions  of  what  this  city  once  was,  from  which 

we  can  form  some  idea   of   its  beauty.     The  whole  of 

the  27th  chapter  of  Ezekiel  is  taken  up  with  Tyrus,  as 

it  was  called  then : 

"  O  thou  that  art  situate  at  the  entry  of  the  sea,  which  art  a  mer- 
chant of  the  people  for  many  isles,  thus  saith  the  Lord  God:  O 
Tyrus,  thou  hast  said,  I  am  of  perfect  beauty.  Thy  borders  are  in 
the  midst  of  the  seas,  thy  builders  have  perfected  thy  beauty.  They 
have  made  all  thy  ship  boards  of  fir  trees  of  Senir;  they  have  taken 
cedars  from  Lebanon  to  make  masts  for  thee." 


ITS  CERTAINTY,  67 


So  it  goes  on : 

"  Fine  linen  with  broidered  work  from  Egypt  was  that  which 
thou  spreadest  forth  to  be  thy  sail;  blue  and  purple  from  the  isles 
of  Elishah  was  that  which  covered  thee." 

A  little  farther  on  it  says: 

"  Thy  riches,  and  thy  fairs,  thy  merchandise,  thy  mariners,  and 
thy  pilots,  thy  calkers,  and  the  occupiers  of  thy  merchandise,  and 
all  thy  men  of  war,  that  are  in  thee,  and  in  all  thy  company  which 
is  in  the  midst  of  thee,  shall  fall  into  the  midst  of  the  seas  in  the 
day  of  thy  ruin.  Thine  heart  was  lifted  up  because  of  thy  beauty, 
thou  hast  corrupted  thy  wisdom  by  reason  of  the  brightness;  I 
will  cast  thee  to  the  ground,  I  will  lay  thee  before  kings,  that  they 
may  behold  thee." 

The  terrible  prophesies  of  its  downfall  have  all  been 
literally  fulfilled.  We  find  them  in  the  26th  chapter, 
beginning  with  the  3d  verse: 

"  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God:  Behold,  I  am  against  thee,  O  Tyrus, 
and  will  cause  many  nations  to  come  up  against  thee,  as  the  sea 
causeth  his  waves  to  come  up.  And  they  shall  destroy  the  walls  of 
Tyrus,  and  break  down  her  towers;  I  will  also  scrape  her  dust  from 
her,  and  make  her  like  the  top  of  a  rock.  It  shall  be  a  place  for 
the  spreading  of  nests  in  the  midst  of  the  sea;  for  I  have  spoken  it, 
saith  the  Lord  God;  and  it  shall  become  a  spoil  to  the  nations." 

Travelers  now  describe  the  site  of  Tyre  as  "  a  heap 
of  ruins,  broken  arches  and  vaults,  tottering  walls  and 
towers,  with  a  few  starving  wretches  housed  amid  the 
rubbish."  A  large  part  of  it  is  under  water,  a  portion 
of  the  ruins  a  place  to  spread  nests  upon,  and  the  rest 
has  become  indeed  "  like  the  top  of  a  rock." 

Thus  passes  away  the  glory  of  the  world.  This  Book 
tells  us  of  the  glory  of  a  city  that  we  no  longer  see, 
but  which  has  been.  It  tells  us  also  of  the  glory  of  a 
greater  City  that  we  have  not  seen,  but  shall  see  if  we 
but  follow  in  the  way. 


68  HEAVEN: 


"  O  happy  harbor  of  God's  saints! 

O  sweet  and  pleasant  soil ! 
In  thee  no  sorrow  can  be  found, 

Nor  grief,  nor  care,  nor  toil. 
Thy  gardens  and  thy  goodly  walks 

Continually  are  green, 
Where  grow  such  sweet  and  pleasant  flowers 

As  nowhere  else  are  seen. 
No  candle  needs,  no  moon  to  shine, 

No  glittering  star  to  light. 
For  Christ,  the  King  of  Righteousness, 

Forever  shineth  bright." 

OUK    NAMES    EECORDED    THERE. 

We  are  told  that  one  time  just  before  sunrise,  two 
men  got  into  a  dispute  about  what  part  of  the  heavens 
the  sun  would  first  appear  in.  They  became  so  excited 
over  it  that  they  began  to  fight,  and  beat  each  other 
over  the  head  so  badly  that  when  the  sun  arose  neither 
of  them  could  see  it.  So  there  are  persons  who  go  on 
disputing  about  heaven  until  they  dispute  themselves 
out  of  it,  and  more  who  dispute  over  hell  until  they 
dispute  themselves  into  it. 

The  Hebrews  in  their  writings  tell  us  of  three  dis- 
tinct heavens.  The  air — the  atmosphere  about  the  earth 
— is  one  heaven;  the  firmament  where  the  stars  are  is 
another,  and  above  that  is  the  heaven  of  heavens,  where 
God's  throne  is,  and  the  mansions  of  the  Lord  are — 
those  mansions  of  light  and  peace  which  are  the  abode 
of  the  blessed,  the  homes  of  the  Redeemer  and  the 
redeemed. 

This  is  the  heaven  where  Christ  is.  This  is  the  place 
we  read  of  in  Deuteronomy:  "  Behold  the  heaven  and 
the  heaven  of  heavens  is  the  Lord  thy  God's,  the  earth 
also  with  all  that  therein  is," 


ITS  CERTAINTY,  69 


In  II  Corinthians,  Paul,  speaking  of  himself,  says: 

"  I  knew  a  man  in  Christ  above  fourteen  years  ago,  (wliether  in 
the  body,  I  cannot  tell;  or  whether  out  of  the  body,  I  cannot  tell, 
God  knoweth;)  such  an  one  caught  up  to  the  third  heaven.'" 

Some  people  have  wondered  what  the  third  heaven 
means.  That  is  where  God  dwells,  and  where  the 
storms  do  not  come.  There  sits  the  incorruptible  Judge. 
Paul,  when  he  was  caught  up  there,  heard  things  that  it 
was  not  lawful  for  him  to  utter,  and  he  saw  things  that 
he  could  not  speak  of  down  here.  The  higher  up  we 
get  in  spiritual  matters,  the  nearer  we  seem  to  heaven. 
There  our  wishes  are  fulfilled  at  last.  We  may  cry  out 
like  the  psalmist: 

"  One  thing  have  I  desired  of  the  Lord,  that  will  I  seek  after;  that 
I  may  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  all  the  days  of  my  life  to  be- 
hold the  beauty  of  the  Lord,  to  inquire  in  His  temple. 

We  are  assured  by  Christ  Himself  that  our  names 
will  be  written  in  heaven  if  we  are  only  His.  In  the 
10th  chapter  of  Luke  and  the  20th  verse  it  reads:  "Not- 
withstanding in  this  rejoice  not,  that  the  spirits  are 
subject  unto  you;  but  rather  rejoice,  because  your 
names  are  written  in  heaven."  A  little  while  before 
these  words  were  uttered  by  the  Savior,  calling  to- 
gether seventy  of  His  disciples,  sent  them  forth  in 
couples  to  preach  the  gospel  in  the  cities  of  Galilee 
and  Judea.  There  are  people  nowadays  who  have  no 
faith  in  revivals.  Yet  the  greatest  revival  the  world 
ever  saw  was  during  the  five  or  six  years  that  John  the 
Baptist  and  Jesus  were  preaching,  followed  by  the 
preaching  of  the  apostles  and  disciples  after  Christ  left 
the  earth.  For  years  the  country  was  stirred  from  one 
end  to  the  other.    There  were  probably  men  then  who 


70  HEAVEN: 


stood  out  against  the  revival.  They  might  have  called  it 
"  spasmodic,"  and  refused  to  believe  in  it.  Perhaps 
they  said,  "It  is  a  nine  days'  wonder  and  will  pass 
away  in  a  little  while,  and  there  will  be  nothing  left  of 
it."  No  doubt  men  talked  in  those  days  just  as  they 
talk  now.  All  the  way  down  from  the  time  of  Christ 
and  His  apostles  there  have  been  men  who  have  op- 
posed the  work  of  God,  and  some  of  them  professing 
to  be  disciples  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  all  because  it 
has  not  been  done  in  their  way.  When  the  Spirit  of 
God  comes,  He  works  in  His  own  way.  We  must  learn 
the  lesson  that  we  are  not  to  mark  out  any  channels  for 
Him  to  work  in,  for  He  will  work  in  His  own  way  when 
He  comes. 

These  disciples  came  back  after  their  work.  The 
Spirit  had  worked  with  them,  and  the  devils  were  sub- 
ject to  them,  and  they  had  power  over  disease,  and  they 
had  power  over  the  Enemy,  and  they  were  filled  with 
success.  They  were  probably  having  a  sort  of  jubilee 
meeting,  and  Christ  came  in  and  said:  "Rejoice  not 
that  the  spirits  are  subject  unto  you;  but  rather  rejoice 
because  your  names  are  written  in  heaven."  This 
brings  us  face  to  face  with  the  doctrine  of 

ASSUKANCE. 

I  find  a  great  many  people  up  and  down  Christendom 
who  do  not  accept  this  doctrine.  They  believe  it  is 
impossible  for  us  to  know  in  this  life  whether  we  are 
saved  or  not.  If  this  be  true,  llo^Y  are  we  going  to  get 
over  what  Christ  has  said  as  we  find  it  here  recorded  ? 
If  my  name  is  written  in  heaven,  how  can  I  rejoice  over 
it  unless  I  know  it  ?     These  men  were  to  rejoice  that 


ITS  CERTAINTY.  71 

their  names  were  already  there,  and  the  name  of  each 
one  who  is  a  child  of  God  his  name  is  there,  sent  on 
for  registry  before. 

A  party  of  Americans  a  few  years  ago,  on  their  way 
from  London  to  Liverpool,  decided  that  they  would 
stop  at  the  Northwestern  Hotel,  but  when  they  arrived 
they  found  the  place  had  been  full  for  several  days. 
Greatly  disappointed,  they  took  up  their  baggage  and 
were  about  starting  off,  when  they  noticed  a  lady  of 
the  party  preparing  to  remain. 

"  Are  you  not  going,  too?  "  they  asked. 

"  Oh  no,"  she  said,  "  I  have  good  rooms  all  ready." 

"  Why,  how  does  that  happen?" 

"  Oh,"  she  said,  "  I  telegraphed  on  ahead,  a  few  days 
ago." 

Now  that  is  what  the  children  of  God  are  doing; 
they  are  sending  their  names  on  ahead;  they  are  secur- 
ing places  in  the  mansions  of  Christ  in  time.  If  we 
are  truly  children  of  God  our  names  have  gone  on  be- 
fore, and  there  will  be  places  awaiting  us  at  the  end  of 
the  journey.  You  knoAV  we  are  only  travelers  down 
here.  We  are  away  from  home.  When  the  war  was 
going  on,  the  soldiers  on  the  battle-field,  the  Southern 
soldiers  and  the  Northern  soldiers,  wanted  nothing  bet- 
ter to  live  in  than  tents.  They  longed  for  the  war  to 
close  that  they  might  go  home.  They  cared  nothing 
to  have  palaces  and  mansions  on  the  battle-field.  Well, 
there  is  a  terrible  battle  going  on  now,  and  by-and-by, 
when  the  war  is  over,  God  will  call  us  home.  The  tents 
are  good  enough  for  us  while  journeying  through  this 
world.  It  is  only  a  night,  and  then  the  eternal  day 
will  dawn. 


72  HEAVEN: 


THE    BOOK    OF    LIFE. 

Two  ladies  met  on  a  train  not  long  ago,  one  of  them 
going  to  Cairo  and  tlie  other  to  New  Orleans.  Before 
they  reached  Cairo  they  had  formed  a  strong  attach- 
ment for  each  other,  and  the  Cairo  lady  said  to  the  lady 
who  was  going  to  New  Orleans : 

"  I  wish  you  would  stay  for  a  few  days  in  Cairo ;  I 
would  like  to  entertain  you." 

"  Well,"  said  the  other,  "  I  would  like  to  very  much, 
but  I  have  packed  up  all  my  things  and  sent  them  ahead, 
and  I  haven't  anything  except  what  I  have  on,  but 
they  are  good  enough  to  travel  in." 

I  learned  a  lesson  there.  I  said,  "  Almost  anything  is 
good  enough  to  travel  in,  and  it  is  a  great  deal  better 
to  have  our  joys  and  comfoi'is  ready  for  us  in  heaven, 
waiting  until  we  get  there,  than  to  wear  them  out  n 
our  toilsome,  trying,  earthly  journey." 

Heaven  is  the  place  of  victory  and  triumph.  This 
is  the  battle-field;  there  is  the  triumphal  procession. 
This  is  the  land  of  the  sword  and  the  spear;  that  is 
the  land  of  the  wreath  and  the  crown.  Oh,  what  a 
thrill  of  joy  will  shoot  through  the  hearts  of  all  the 
blessed  when  their  conquests  will  be  made  complete  in 
heaven;  when  death  itself,  the  last  of  foes,  shall  be 
slain,  and  Satan  dragged  as  captive  at  the  chariot 
wheels  of  Christ!  Men  may  oppose  as  mu'cli  as  they 
will  this  doctrine  of  Assurance,  nevertheless  it  is  clearly 
taught  in  Scripture. 

THE  OPENING  OF  THE  BOOKS. 

A  great  many  laugh  at  the  idea  of  there  being  books 
in  heaven;  but  in  the  12th  chapter  of  the  prophecy 
of  Daniel,  and  the  1st  verse,  we  find: 


ITS  CERTAINTY.  78 


"And  at  that  time  shall  Michael  stand  up,  the  great  prince  wliich 
standeth  for  the  children  of  thy  people;  and  there  shall  be  a  time  of 
trouble,  such  as  never  was  since  there  was  a  nation,  even  to  that 
same  time;  and  at  that  time  the  people  shall  be  delivered,  every  one 
that  shall  be  found  written  in  the  book." 

There  is  a  terrible  time  coming  upon  the  earth ;  darker 

days  than  we  have  ever  seen,  and  they  whose  names 

are  AVTitten  in  the  Book  of  Life  shall  be  delivered.    Then 

again,  in  Philippians  iv,  3,  we  read: 

"  And  I  entreat  thee,  also,  true  yoke-fellow,  help  those  women 
which  labored  with  me  in  the  Gospel,  with  Clement  also,  and  with 
other  of  my  fellow-laborers,  whose  names  are  in  the  Book  of  Life." 

Paul,  writing  to  the  Christians  at  Philippi,  where  he 
had  so  much  opposition,  and  where  he  was  cast  into 
jail,  says  in  effect:  Just  take  my  regards  to  the  good 
brethren  and  sisters  who  worked  with  me,  and  whose 
names  are  written  in  the  Book  of  Life.  This  shows 
that  they  taught  the  doctrine  of  Assurance  in  the  very 
earliest  days  of  Christianity.  Why  should  we  not  teach 
it  and  believe  it  now? 

I  am  told  by  travelers  in  China,  that  the  Chinese 
have  in  their  courts  two  great  books.  When  a  man  is 
tried  and  found  innocent,  they  write  his  name  down  in 
the  book  of  life.  If  he  is  found  guilty,  they  write  his 
name  down  in  the  book  of  death.  I  believe  firmly  that 
every  man  or  woman  has  his  or  her  name  in  the  Book 
of  Death  or  the  Book  of  Life.  Your  name  cannot  be 
in  both  books  at  the  same  time.  You  cannot  be  in 
death  and  in  life  at  the  same  time,  and  it  is  your  own 
privilege  to  know  which  it  is. 

Li  Revelation  xiii,  8,  we  read: 

"  And  all  that  dwell  upon  the  earth  shall  worship  him  [that  is, 
the  Anti-Christ]  whose  names  are  not  written  in  the  Book  of  Life 
of  the  Lamb  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world." 


74  HEAVEN: 


And  again,  chapter  xx,  12: 

"  And  I  saw  the  dead,  small  and  great,  stand  before  God;  and  the 
book  was  opened;  and  another  book  was  opened,  which  is  the  Book 
of  Life;  and  the  dead  were  judged  out  of  those  things  which  were, 
written  in  the  books,  according  to  their  works." 

Again,  chapter  xxii,  27: 

"  And  there  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  it  [the  Holy  City]  any- 
thing that  defileth,  neither  whatsoever  worketh  abomination,  or 
maketh  a  lie;  but  they  which  are  written  in  the  Lamb's  Book  of 
Life." 

There  can  be  no  trne  peace,  there  can  be  no  true 
hope,  there  can  be  no  true  comfort,  where  there  is  un- 
certainty. I  am  not  fit  for  God's  service,  I  cannot  go 
out  and  work  for  God,  if  I  am  in  doubt  about  my  OAvn 
salvation. 

NO    KOOM    FOR.  DOUBT. 

A  mother  has  a  sick  child.  The  child  is  just  hang- 
ma:  between  life  and  death.  There  is  no  rest  for  that 
mother.  You  have  some  friend  on  a  train  that  is 
wrecked,  and  the  news  comes  that  twenty  have  been 
killed  and  wounded,  and  their  names  are  not  given; 
you  are  in  terrible  uncertainty,  and  there  is  no  rest  or 
peace  until  you  know  the  facts.  The  reason  why  there 
are  so  many  in  the  churches  who  will  not  go  out  and 
help  others,  is  that  they  are  not  sure  they  have  been 
saved  themselves.  If  I  thought  I  was  dying  myself, 
I  would  be  in  a  poor  condition  to  save  anyone  else. 
Before  I  can  pull  anyone  else  out  of  the  water,  I  must 
have  a  firm  footing  on  shore  myself.  We  can  have 
this  complete  Assurance  if  we  will.  It  does  not  do  to 
feel  we  are  all  right,  but  we  mu.st  Jaioiv  it.  We  must 
read  our  titles  clear  to  mansions   in   the    skies;  the 


ITS  CERTAINTY.  75 

Apostle  John  says:     "Beloved,  now  are  we  tlie  sons  of 
God."     He  does  not  say  we  are  going  to  be. 

People,  when  asked  if  tliey  are  Christians,  give  some 
of  the  strangest  answers  you  ever  heard.  Some  will 
say,  if  you  ask  them:  "  AVell — well — well,  I — I  hope  I 
am."  Suppose  a  man  should  ask  me  if  I  am  an  Amer- 
ican. Would  I  say,  "  Well  I— well  I— I  hope  I  am?" 
I  know  that  I  was  born  in  this  country,  and  I  know  I 
was  born  in  the  Spirit  of  God  more  than  twenty  years 
aero.  All  the  infidels  in  the  world  could  not  convince 
me  that  I  have  not  a  different  spirit  than  I  had  before 
I  became  a  Christian.  "  That  Avhich  is  born  of  the  flesh 
is  flesh,  and  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit,"  and 
a  man  can  soon  tell  whether  he  is  born  of  the  Spirit  by 
the  change  in  his  life.  The  Spirit  of  Christ  is  a  spirit 
of  love,  joy,  peace,  humility  and  meekness,  and  we  can 
soon  find  out  whether  we  have  been  born  of  that  spirit 
or  not ;  we  are  not  to  be  left  in  uncertainty.  Job  lived 
back  there  in  the  dark  ages,  but  he  knew.  The  dark 
billows  came  rolling  and  surging  up  against  him,  but 
iu  the  midst  of  the  storm  you  can  hear  his  voice  say- 
ing: "  I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth."  He  had 
something  better  than  a  hope. 

A  man  may  have  his  name  written  in  the  highest 
chronicles  down  here,  but  the  record  may  be  lost ;  he 
may  have  it  carved  in  marble,  and  still  it  may  perish ; 
some  charitable  institution  may  bear  his  name,  and  yet 
he  may  be  soon  forgotten ;  but  his  name  will  never  be 
erased  from  the  scrolls  that  are  kept  above.  Seeking 
to  perpetuate  one's  name  on  earth  is  like  writing  on  the 
sand  by  the  sea-shore ;  to  be  perpetual  it  must  be  writ- 
ten on  the  eternal  monuments.     It  has  been  said  that 


76  HEAVEN: 

the  way  to  see  our  names  as  tliey  stand  written  in  the 
Book  of  Life,  is  by  reading  the  work  of  sanctification 
in  our  own  hearts.  It  needs  no  miraculous  voice  from 
heaven,  no  extraordinary  signs,  no  unusual  feeling.  We 
need  only  find  our  hearts  desiring  Christ  and  hating 
sin ;  our  minds  obedient  to  the  divine  commands. 

We  may  be  sure  that  belonging  to  some  church  is  not 
going  to  save  us,  although  every  saved  man  ought  to  be 
connected  with  one.  When  Daniel  died  in  Babylon,  no 
one  had  to  hunt  up  any  old  church  record  to  find  out  if 
he  was  all  right.  When  Paul  was  beheaded  by  Nero, 
no  one  had  to  look  over  the  register.  On  the  other 
hand,  no  one  thinks  Pontius  Pilate  was  a  saint  because 
his  name  is  in  the  creed. 

They  lived  so  that  the  world  knew  what  they  were. 
Paul  says :  "I  am  persuaded  that  He  is  able  to  keej) 
what  I  have  committed  unto  Him  against  that  day." 
There  is  Assurance.  "  Who  shall  separate  us  from  the 
love  of  Christ?"  he  says;  "neither  life,  nor  death,  nor 
angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  pres- 
ent, nor  things  to  come."  He  just  challenges  them  all, 
but  they  could  not  separate  him  from  the  love  that  was 
in  Christ. 

It  is  dishonoring  to  God  to  go  on  hoping  and  only 
hoping  that  we  "  are  going  "  to  be  saved. 

FALSE    PROFESSORS. 

Yet  there  are  some  who  ought  not  to  have  assurance. 
It  would  be  an  unfortunate  thing  for  any  unconverted 
church  member  to  have  assurance.  There  are  some 
who  profess  great  assurance  who  ought  not  to  have  it 
— those  whose  lives  do  not  correspond.     This  class  is 


ITS  CERTAINTY.  77 


represented  by  the  man  at  the  wedding  feast  who  did 
not  have  on  a  wedding  garment. 

They  are  like  some  lilies — fair  to  see  but  foul  of 
smell.  They  are  cuy  shells  with  no  kernel  inside. 
The  crusaders  of  old  used  to  wear  a  painted  cross  upon 
their  shoulders.  So  there  are  a  good  many  nowadays 
who  take  up  crosses  that  sit  just  as  lightly— mere 
things  of  ornament — passports  to  respectability,  cheap 
make-believes,  for  a  struggle  that  has  never  been  made, 
and  a  crown  that  has  never  been  striven  for. 

You  may  A^ery  often  see  dead  fish  floating  with  the 
stream,  but  you  never  saw  a  dead  fish  swimming  against 
it.  Well,  that  is  your  false  believer;  that  is  the  hyp- 
ocrite. Profession  is  just  floating  down  the  stream, 
but  confession  is  swimming  against  it,  no  matter  how 
strong  the  tide.  The  sanctified  man  and  the  unsancti- 
fied  one  look  at  heaven  very  differently.  The  unsanc- 
tified  man  simply  chooses  heaven  in  preference  to  hell. 
He  thinks  that  if  he  must  go  to  either  one  he  would 
rather  try  heaven.  It  is  like  a  man  with  a  farm  who 
has  a  place  offered  him  in  another  country,  where  there 
is  said  to  be  a  gold  mine.  He  hates  to  give  up  all  he 
has  and  take  any  risk.  But  if  he  is  going  to  be  ban- 
ished, and  must  leave,  and  has  his  choice  of  living  in  a 
Avilderness  or  digging  in  a  coal  pit,  or  else  take  the 
gold  mine,  then  there  is  no  hesitation.  The  unregen- 
erate  man  likes  heaven  better  than  hell,  but  he  likes 
this  world  the  best  of  all.  When  death  stares  him  in 
the  face,  then  he  thinks  he  would  like  to  get  to  heaven. 
The  true  believer  prizes  heaven  above  everything  else, 
and  is  always  willing  to  give  up  the  world.  Everybody 
wants  to   enjoy  heaven   after  they  die,  but  they  don't 


78  HEAVEN: 


want  to  be  heavenly-minded  while  they  live.  To  the 
Christian  it  is  a  sure  promise,  with  no  room  for  doubt, 
and  there  is  no  reason  for  hesitation. 

The  heir  to  some  great  estate,  while  a  child,  thinks 
more  of  a  dollar  in  his  pocket  than  all  his  inheritance. 
So  even  some  professing  Christians  sometimes  are  more 
elated  by  a  passing  pleasure  than  they  are  by  their 
title  to  eternal  glory.  In  a  little  while  Ave  will  be  there. 
How  glorious  is  the  thought!  Everything  is  prepared. 
That  is  Avliat  Christ  went  up  to  heaven  for.  In  a  little 
while  we  will  be  gone.     We  are — 

"Only  waiting  till  the  shadows 

Are  a  little  longer  grown, 
Only  waiting  till  the  glimmer 

Of  the  day's  last  beam  has  flown; 
Then  from  out  the  gathered  darkness, 

Holy,  deathless  stars  shall  rise, 
By  whose  light  onr  souls  shall  gladly 

Tread  their  pathway  to  the  skies." 


leaver)'. 
ITS  EICHES. 


79 


^erux^aFeo],  ^^  Jfome, 


Jerusalem,  my  Home, 
Where  shines  the  royal  throne; 
Each  king  casts  down  his  golden  crown 
Before  the  Lamb  thereon. 
Thence  flows  the  crystal  river, 
And  flowing  on  forever, 
With  leaves  and  fruits  on  either  hand, 
The  Tree  of  Life  shall  stand. 
In  blood-washed  robes,  all  white  and  fair, 
The  Lamb  shall  lead  His  chosen  there, 
While  clouds  of  incense  fill  the  air — 

Jerusalem,  my  Home! 

Jerusalem,  my  Home! 
Where  saints  in  glory  reign, 
Thy  haven  safe,  O  when  shall  I, 
Poor,  storm-tossed  pilgrim,  gain? 
At  distance  dark  and  dreary, 
With  sin  and  sorrow  weary. 
For  thee  I  toil,  for  thee  I  pray. 
For  thee  I  long  alway. 
And  lo,  mine  eyes  shall  see  thee,  too; 
Oh,  rend  in  twain,  thou  veil  of  blue. 
And  let  the  Golden  City  through — 

Jerusalem,  my  Home! 


Hopkins. 


9P 


ITS  RICHES.  81 


CHAPTER  V. 

ITS  RICHES. 


Lay  up  for  yourselves  treasures  in  heaven;  for  where  your  treas- 
ure is,  there  will  your  heart  be  also.    Matt,  vi,  20. 

No  man  thinks  himself  rich  until  he  has  all  he  wants. 
Very  few  people  are  satisfied  with  earthly  riches.  If 
they  want  any  thing  at  all  that  they  cannot  get,  that  is 
a  kind  of  poverty.  Sometimes  the  richer  the  man  the 
greater  the  poverty.  Somebody  has  said  that  getting 
riches  brings  care ;  keeping  them  brings  trouble ;  abus- 
ing them  brings  guilt ;  and  losing  them  brings  sorrow. 
It  is  a  great  mistake  to  make  so  much  of  riches  as  we 
do.  But  there  are  some  riches  that  we  cannot  praise 
too  much:  that  never  pass  away.  They  are  the  treas- 
ures laid  up  in  Heaven  for  those  who  truly  belong  to 
God. 

No  matter  how  rich  or  elevated  w^e  may  be  here, 
there  is  always  something  that  we  want.  The  greatest 
chance  the  rich  have  over  the  poor  is  the  one  they  en- 
joy the  least — that  of  making  themselves  happy. 
Worldly  riches  never  make  any  one  truly  happy.  AVe 
all  know,  too,  that  they  often  take  wings  and  fly  away. 
It  is  said  of  Midas  that  whatever  he  touched  turned  into 
gold,  but   with  his  long  ears  he  was    not   much  the 

better  for  it,     ^li^re  is  a  great  deal  of  truth  in  somo 
6  -  ■ 


82  HEAVEN: 


of  these  old  fables.  Money,  like  time,  ought  not  to  be 
wasted,  but  I  pity  that  man  who  has  more  of  either 
than  he  knows  how  to  use.  There  is  no  truer  saying 
than  that  man  by  doing  good  with  his  money,  stamps, 
as  it  were,  the  image  of  God  upon  it,  and  makes  it  pass 
current  for  the  merchandise  of  heaven;  but  all  the 
wealth  of  the  universe  would  not  buy  a  man's  way 
there.  Salvation  must  be  taken  as  a  gift  for  the  ask- 
ing. There  is  no  man  so  poor  in  this  world  that  he 
may  not  be  a  heavenly  millionaire. 

GOLD  A  BAD  LIFE-PRESERVER. 

How  many  are  worshiping  gold  to-day !  Where  war 
has  slain  its  thousands^  gain  has  slain  its  millions.  Its 
history  in  all  ages  has  been  the  history  of  slavery  and 
oppression.  At  this  moment  what  an  empire  it  has. 
The  mine  with  its  drudges,  the  manufactory  with  its 
misery,  the  plantation  vrith  its  toil,  the  market  and  ex- 
change with  their  haggard  and  care-worn  faces — these 
are  but  specimens  of  its  menial  servants.  Titles  and 
honors  are  its  rewards,  and  thrones  are  at  its  disposal. 
Among  its  counsellors  are  kings,  and  many  of  the  great 
and  mighty  of  the  earth  are  its  subjects.  This  spirit 
of  gain  tries  even  to  turn  the  globe  itself  into  gold. 

It  is  related  that  Tarpeia,  the  daughter  of  the  Gov- 
ernor of  the  fortress  situated  on  the  Capitoline  Hill  in 
Rome,  was  captivated  with  the  golden  bracelets  of  the 
Sabine  soldiers,  and.  agreed  to  let  them  into  the  fort- 
ress if  they  would  give  her  what  they  wore  upon  their 
left  arms.  The  contract  was  made ;  the  Sabines  kept 
their  promise.  Tatius,  their  commander,  was  the  first 
to    deliver    his    bracelet   and   shield,      The    coveted 


ITS  RICHES.  83 


treasures  were  thrown  upon  the  traitress  by  each  of  the 
soldiers,  till  she  sank  beneath  their  weight  and  expired. 
Thus  does  the  weight  of  gold  carry  many  a  man 
down. 

When  the  steamship  "  Central  America"  went  down, 
several  hundred  miners  were  on  board,  returning  to 
their  early  homes  and  friends.  They  had  made  their 
fortunes,  and  expected  much  happiness  in  enjoying 
them.  In  the  first  of  the  horror  gold  lost  its  attraction 
to  them.  The  miners  took  off  their  treasure-belts  and 
threw  them  aside.  Carpet  bags  full  of  shining  gold 
dust  were  emptied  on  the  floor  of  the  cabin.  One  of 
them  poured  out  one  hundred  thousand  dollars'  worth 
in  the  cabin,  and  bade  any  one  take  it  who  Avould. 
Greed  was  over-mastered,  and  the  gold  found  no  takers. 
Dear  friends,  it  is  well  enough  to  have  gold,  but  some- 
times it  is  a  bad  life-preserver.  Sometimes  it  is  a 
mighty  weight  that  crushes  us  down  to  hell. 

The  Rev.  John  Newton  one  day  called  to  visit  a  fam- 
ily that  had  suffered  the  loss  of  all  they  possessed  by 
fire.  He  found  the  pious  mistress,  and  saluted  her 
with: 

"  I  give  you  joy,  madam." 

Surprised,  and  ready  to  be  offended,  she  exclaimed: 

"  What!  Joy  that  all  my  property  is  consumed?" 

"O  no,"  he  answered,  "but  joy  that  you  have  so 
much  property  that  fire  cannot  touch." 

This  allusion  to  her  real  treasures  checked  her  grief 
and  brought  reconciliation.  As  we  read  in  Proverbs 
15,  6:  "In  the  house  of  the  righteous  is  much  treas- 
ure; but  in  the  revenues  of  the  wicked  is  trouble."  I 
have  uever  seen  a  dying  saint  who  was  rich  in  heavenly 


84  HEAVEN: 


treasures  who  had  any  regret;  I  have  never  heard 
such  a  one  say  he  had  lived  too  much  for  God  and 
heaven. 

GETTING    WATER-LOGGED. 

A  friend  of  mine  says  he  was  at  the  River  Mersey, 
in  Liverpool,  a  few  years  ago,  and  he  saw  a  vessel  which 
had  to  be  towed  with  a  great  deal  of  care  into  the  har- 
bor; it  was  clear  down  to  the  water's  edge,  and  he  won- 
dered why  it  did  not  sink.  Pretty  soon  there  came 
another  vessel,  without  any  help  at  all ;  it  did  not  need 
any  tug  to  tow  it  in,  but  it  steamed  right  up  the  Mer- 
sey past  the  other  vessels ;  and  he  made  inquiry,  and 
he  found  the  vessel  that  had  to  be  towed  in  was  what 
they  call  water-logged — that  is,  it  was  loaded  with  lum- 
ber and  material  of  that  kind;  and  having  sprung  a 
leak  had  partially  sunk,  and  it  was  very  hard  work  to 
get  into  the  harbor.  Now,  I  believe  there  are  a  great 
many  professed  Christians,  a  great  many,  perhaps,  who 
are  really  Christians,  who  have  become  water-logged. 
They  have  too  many  earthly  treasures,  and  it  takes  near- 
ly the  whole  church — the  whole  spiritual  power  of  the 
church  to  look  after  these  worldly  Christians,  to  keep 
them  from  going  back  entirely  into  the  world.  Why, 
if  the  whole  church  were,  as  John  Wesley  said,  "  hard 
at  it,  and  always  at  it,"  what  a  power  there  would  be, 
and  how  soon  we  would  reach  the  world  and  the  masses ; 
but  we  are  not  reaching  the  world,  because  the  church 
itself  has  become  conformed  to  the  world  and  worldly- 
minded,  and  because  so  many  are  wondering  why  they 
do  not  grow  in  grace  while  they  have  more  of  the  earth 
in  their  thoughts  than  God, 


ITS  RICHES.  85 


Ministers  would  not  have  to  urge  people  to  live  for 
heaven  if  their  treasures  were  up  there;  they  could 
not  help  it;  their  hearts  would  be  there,  and  if  their 
hearts  were  there  their  minds  would  be  up  there,  and 
their  lives  would  tend  toward  heaven.  They  could 
not  help  living  for  heaven  if  their  treasures  were 
there. 

A  little  girl  one  day  said  to  her  mother:  "Mamma, 
my  Sunday-school  teacher  tells  me  that  this  world  is 
only  a  place  in  which  God  lets  us  live  a  while,  that  we 
may  prepare  for  a  better  world.  But,  mother,  I  do  not 
see  anybody  preparing.  I  see  you  preparing  to  go 
into  the  country,  and  Aunt  Eliza  is  preparing  to  come 
here ;  but  I  do  not  see  anyone  preparing  to  go  there ; 
why  don't  they  try  to  get  ready? " 

A  certain  gentleman  in  the  South,  before  the  war,  had 
a  pious  slave,  and  when  the  master  died  they  told  him 
he  had  gone  to  heaven. 

The  old  slave  shook  his  head,  "  I's  'fraid  massa  no 
gone  there,"  he  said. 

"But  why,  Ben?"  he  was  asked. 

"  Cos,  when  Massa  go  North,  or  go  a  journey  to  the 
Springs,  he  talk  about  it  a  long  time,  and  get  ready. 
I  never  hear  him  talk  about  going  to  heaven ;  never  see 
him  get  ready  to  go  there!  " 

So  there  are  a  good  many  who  do  not  get  ready. 
Christ  teaches  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  to — 

"  Lay  not  up  for  yourselves  treasures  upon  earth,  where  moth 
and  rust  doth  corrupt,  and  where  thieves  break  through  and  steal; 
but  lay  up  for  yourselves  treasures  in  heaven,  where  neither  moth 
nor  rust  doth  corrupt,  and  where  thieves  do  not  break  through 
nor  steal,  for  where  your  treasure  is,  there  will  your  heart  be 
also." 


86  HEAVEN: 

TREASURES    OF    THE    HEART. 

It  does  not  take  long  to  tell  where  a  man's  treasure 
is.  In  fifteen  minutes'  conversation  with  most  men  you 
can  tell  whether  their  treasures  are  on  the  earth  or  in 
heaven.  Talk  to  a  patriot  about  the  country,  and  you 
will  see  his  eye  light  up ;  you  will  find  he  has  his  heart 
there.  Talk  to  some  business  men,  and  tell  them  where 
they  can  make  a  thousand  dollars,  and  see  their  inter- 
est; their  hearts  are  there.  You  talk  to  fashionable 
people  who  are  living  just  for  fashion,  of  its  affairs, 
and  you  will  see  their  eyes  kindle;  they  are  interested 
at  once;  their  hearts  are  there.  Talk  to  a  politician 
about  politics,  and  you  see  how  suddenly  he  becomes 
interested.  But  talk  to  a  child  of  God,  who  is  laying 
up  treasures  in  heaven,  about  heaven  and  about  his 
future  home,  and  see  what  enthusiasm.  "  Where  your 
treasure  is,  there  will  your  heart  be  also." 

Now,  it  is  just  as  much  a  command  for  a  man  to  "lay 
up  treasure  in  heaven  "  as  it  is  that  he  should  not  steal. 
Some  people  think  all  the  commandments  are  in  those 
ten  that  were  given  on  Sinai,  but  when  Jesus  Christ 
was  here,  He  gave  us  many  other  commandments. 
There  is  another  commandment  in  this  Sermon  on  the 
Mount:  "  Seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  His  right- 
eousness, and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you ;" 
and  here  is  a  command  that  we  are  to  lay  up  treasure 
in  heaven  and  not  on  earth.  The  reason  there  are  so 
many  broken  hearts  in  this  land,  the  reason  there  are  so 
many  disappointed  people,  is  because  they  have  been 
laying  up  their  treasures  down  here. 

The  worthlessness  of  gold,  for  which  so  many  are 
striving,  is  illustrated  by  a  story  that  Dr.  Arnot  used 


ITS  RICHES.  87 


to  tell.  A  ship  bearing  a  company  of  emigrants  has 
been  driven  from  her  course  and  wrecked  on  a  desert 
island,  far  from  the  reach  of  man.  There  is  no  way 
of  escape;  but  they  haVe  a  good  stock  of  food.  The 
ocean  surrounds  them,  but  they  have  plenty  of  seeds, 
a  fine  soil,  and  a  genial  sun,  so  there  is  no  danger. 
Before  the  plans  are  laid,  an  exploring  party  discovers 
a  gold  mine.  There  the  whole  party  go  to  dig.  They 
labor  day  after  day  and  month  after  month.  They  get 
great  heaps  of  gold.  But  spring  is  past,  and  not  a 
field  has  been  cleared,  not  a  grain  of  seed  put  into  the 
ground.  The  summer  comes  and  their  wealth  increases ; 
but  their  stock  of  food  grows  small.  In  the  fall  they 
find  that  their  heaps  of  gold  are  worthless.  Famine 
stares  them  in  the  face.  They  rush  to  the  woods,  they 
fell  trees,  dig  up  the  roots,  till  the  ground,  sow  the 
seed.  It  is  too  late !  Winter  has  come  and  their  seed 
rots  in  the  ground.  They  die  of  want  in  the  midst  of 
their  treasures. 

This  earth  is  the  little  isle ;  eternity  the  ocean  round 
it;  on  this  shore  we  have  been  cast.  There  is  a  living 
seed;  but  the  mines  of  gold  attract  us.  We  spend 
spring  and  summer  there;  winter  overtakes  us  in  our 
toil ;  we  are  without  the  Bread  of  Life,  and  we  are  lost. 
Let  us  then  who  are  Christians,  value  all  the  more  the 
home  which  holds  the  treasures  that  no  one  can  take 
away.  Dr.  Muhlenberg,  a  Lutheran  clergyman,  has 
written  beautifully: 

"  Who  would  Uve  alway,  away  from  his  God, 
Away  from  yon  heaven,  that  bhssful  abode; 
Where  the  rivers  of  pleasure  flow  o'er  the  bright  plains, 
And  the  harps  of  gold  pour  out  their  glorious  strains; 


88  HEAVEN: 

And  the  saints  of  all  ages  in  harmony  meet 

Their  Savior,  and  brethren  transported,  to  greet; 

While  the  anthems  of  rapture  unceasingly  roll. 

And  the  smile  of  the  Lord  is  the  feast  of  the  soul? 

That  heavenly  music,  what  is  it  I  hear? 

The  notes  of  the  harpers  ring  sweet  on  my  ear. 

To  see  soft  unfolding  those  portals  of  gold — 

The  Kmg,  all  arrayed  in  His  beauty,  behold ! 

Oh  give  me,  oh  give  me,  the  wings  of  a  dove, 

Let  me  hasten  my  flight  to  those  mansions  above! 

Ay,  'tis  now  that  my  soul  on  swift  pinions  would  soar, 

And  in  ecstacy  bid  earth  adieu  evermore." 

A    BLACK-BOAED    LESSON. 

When  I  was  in  San  Francisco,  I  went  into  a  Sabbath- 
school  the  first  Sunday  I  was  there.  It  was  a  rainy 
day,  and  there  were  so  few  present  that  the  Superin- 
tendent thought  of  dismissing  them,  but  instead,  he  af- 
terward invited  me  to  speak  to  the  whole  school  as  one 
class.  The  lesson  was  that  passage  fi'om  the  Sermon 
on  the  Mount:  "Lay  not.  up  for  yourselves  treasures 
upon  earth,  where  moth  and  rust  doth  corrupt,  and 
where  thieves  break  through  and  steal." 

I  invited  a  young  man  to  the  blackboard,  and  we 
proceeded  to  compare  a  few  things  that  some  people 
have  on  earth,  and  a  few  things  that  other  people  have 
in  heaven. 

"  Now,"  said  I,  "  name  some  earthly  treasure." 

They  all  shouted  "Gold." 

"Well,  that  is  so,"  I  said,  "I  suppose  that  is  your 
greatest  treasure  out  here  in  California.  Now  let  us 
go  on;  what  is  another? " 

A  second  boy  shouted,  "Lands." 

"  Well,"  I  said,  "  we  will  put  do^vn  Lands." 


ITS  RICHES.  89 


"  What  else  do  the  people  out  here  in  California 
think  a  good  deal  of  and  have  their  hearts  set  on?" 

They  said  "Houses." 

"  Put  that  do^Ti;  what  else?  " 

"Pleasure." 

"  Put  that  down." 

"  Honor — fame." 

"  Put  them  down." 

"  Business." 

"Yes,"  I  said;  "a  great  many  people  have  their 
hearts  buried  in  their  business — put  that  down."  As 
if  a  little  afraid,  one  of  them  said  "di^ess,"  and  the 
whole  school  smiled. 

"Put  that  down,"  I  said.  "Why,  I  believe  there 
are  some  people  in  the  world  who  think  more  of 
dress  than  any  other  thing.  They  just  live  for 
dress.  I  heard  not  long  ago  from  very  good  author- 
ity, of  a  young  lady  who  was  dying  of  consumption. 
She  had  been  living  in  the  world  and  for  the  world, 
and  it  seemed  as  if  the  world  had  taken  full  possession 
of  her.  She  thought  she  would  die  Thursday  night, 
and  Thursday  she  wanted  them  to  crimp  her  hair,  so 
that  she  would  look  beautiful  in  her  coffin.  But  she 
didn't  die  Thursday  night.  She  lingered  through  Fri- 
day, and  Friday  she  didn't  want  them  to  take  her  hair 
down,  but  to  keep  it  up  until  she  passed  away.  And 
the  friends  said  she  looked  very  beautiful  in  the  coffin! 
Just  what  people  wear — the  idea  of  people  having  their 
hearts  set  upon  things  of  that  kind! " 

"And  Avhat  else,  now?"  Well,  they  were  a  little 
ashamed  to  say  it,  but  one  said: 

"Rum." 


90  HEAVEN: 


"  Yes,"  I  said,  "  put  tliat  down.  There  is  many  a 
man  thinks  more  of  the  rum-bottle  than  he  does  of  the 
Kingdom  of  God.  He  will  give  up  his  wife,  he  will 
give  up  his  home  and  his  mother,  character  and  repu- 
tation forever  for  the  rum-bottle.  Many  a  man  by  his 
life  is  crying  out,  '  Give  me  rum,  and  I  will  give  you 
heaven,  and  all  its  glories.  I  will  sell  my  wife  and 
children.  I  will  make  them  beggars  and  paupers.  I 
will  degrade  and  disgrace  them  for  the  rum-bottle. 
That  is  my  treasure.' 

"'Oh,  thou  rum  bottle!  1  worship  thee,'  is  the  cry 
of  many — they  turn  their  backs  on  heaven  with  all  its 
glories  for  rum.  Some  of  them  thought,  when  that 
little  boy  said  '  rum,'  that  he  made  a  mistake,  that  it 
was  not  a  treasure,  but  it  is  a  treasure  to  thousands." 
Another  one  said: 

"  Fast  horses." 

Said  I,  "  Put  it  down.  There  is  many  a  man  who 
thinks  a  good  deal  of  fast  horses,  and  he  wants  to  go 
out  and  take  a  fast  horse  and  drive  Sunday,  and  spend 
his  Sabbath  in  this  way."  And  after  we  finished,  and 
thought  of  everything  we  could,  T  said:  "Suppose  we 
just  take  down  some  of  these  heavenly  treasures. 

"And,"  said  I,  "What  is  there  now  that  the  Lord  wants 
us  to  set  our  hearts  and  affections  on  ?"   And  they  all  said : 

"Jesus." 

"  That  is  good;  we  will  put  Him  down  first  at  the 
head  of  the  list.     Now  what  else?  "     And  they  said: 

"Angels." 

"  Put  them  down.  We  will  have  their  society  when 
we  go  to  heaven.  That  is  a  treasure  up  there,  really. 
What  else?" 


ITS  RICHES.  91 


"The  friends  who  have  died  in  Christ,  who  have 
fallen  asleep  in  Christ." 

"  Put  them  down.  Death  has  taken  them  from  us 
now,  but  we  will  be  with  them  by  and  by.     What  else  ?  " 

"  Crowns." 

"Yes,  we  are  going  to  have  a  crown,  a  crown  of 
glory,  a  crown  of  righteousness,  a  crown  that  fadetli 
not  away.     What  else?" 

"The  tree  of  life." 

"  Yes,"  I  said,  "  the  tree  of  life.  We  shall  have  a 
right  to  it.  We  can  go  to  that  tree  and  pluck  its  fruit, 
eat,  and  live  forever.     What  else?" 

"  The  river  of  life." 

"Yes,  we  shall  walk  upon  the  banks  of  that  clean 
river." 

"  Harps,"  one  said. 

Another  one  said  "  palms." 

"Yes,"  I  said,  "put  them  down.  Those  are  treas- 
ures that  we  will  have  there." 

"  Purity." 

"  Yes,  there  will  be  none  but  the  pure  there.  White 
robes,  without  spot  or  wrinkle  on  our  garments.  A 
great  many  find  many  flaws  in  our  characters  down 
here,  but  by  and  by  Christ  will  present  us  before  the 
Father  without  spot  and  without  wrinkle,  and  we  shall 
stand  there  complete  in  Him,"  I  said.  "  Can  you 
think  of  anything  else?"     And  one  of  them  said: 

"  A  new  song." 

"  Yes,  we  shall  have  a  new  song.  It  is  the  song  of 
Moses  and  the  Lamb.  I  don't  know  just  who  wrote  it 
or  how,  but  it  will  be  a  glorious  song.  I  suppose  the 
singing   we  have    here    on    earth    will     be     nothing 


92  HEAVEN: 


compared  with  the  songs  of  that  upper  world.  Do  you 
know  the  principal  thing  we  are  told  we  are  going  to 
do  in  heaven  is  singing,  and  that  is  why  men  ought  to 
sing  down  here.  We  ought  to  begin  to  sing  here  so 
that  it  will  not  come  strange  when  we  get  to  heaven.  I 
pity  the  professed  Christian  who  has  not  a  song  in  his 
heart — who  never  'feels  like  singing.'  It  seems  to 
me  if  we  are  truly  children  of  God,  we  will  want  to 
sing  about  it.  And  so,  when  we  get  there,  we  cannot 
help  shouting  out  the  loud  hallelujahs  of  heaven." 

Then  I  said:  "Is  there  anything  else?"  Well,  they 
went  on.  I  cannot  give  you  all,  because  we  had  to  have 
two  columns  put  down  of  the  heavenly  treasures.  We 
stood  there  a  little  while  and  drew  the  contrast  between 
the  earthly  and  the  heavenly  treasures.  We  looked  at 
them  a  little  while,  and  when  we  came  to  put  them  all 
down  beside  Christ,  the  earthly  treasures  looked  small, 
after  all.  What  would  all  this  world  full  of  gold  be 
compared  with  Jesus  Christ?  You  who  have  Christ, 
would  you  like  to  part  with  Him  for  gold?  Would  you 
like  to  give  Him  up  for  all  the  honor  the  earth  can 
bestow  on  you  for  a  few  months  or  a  few  years  ?  Think 
of  Christ!  Think  of  the  treasures  of  heaven.  And 
then  think  of  these  earthly  treasures  that  we  have  our 
hearts  set  upon,  and  that  so  many  of  us  are  living  for. 

God  blessed  that  lesson  upon  the  blackboard  in  a 
marvelous  way,  for  the  man  who  had  been  writing  down 
the  treasures  on  the  board  happened  to  be  an  uncon- 
verted Sunday-school  teacher,  and  had  gone  out  there 
to  California  to  make  money ;  his  heart  was  set  upon 
gold,  and  he  was  living  for  that  instead  of  for  God. 
That  wa§  the  idol  of  his  heart,  and  do  you  know  God 


ITS  RICHES.  93 


convicted  him  at  that  blackboard,  and  the  first  convert 
that  God  gave  me  on  the  Pacific  coast  was  that  man, 
and  he  was  the  last  man  who  shook  hands  with  me  when 
I  left  San  Francisco.  He  saAV  how  empty  the  earthly 
treasures  were,  and  how  grand  and  glorious  the  riches 
of  heaven.  Oh,  if  God  would  but  open  your  eyes — 
and  I  think  if  you  are  honest  and  ask  Him  to  do  it 
He  will — He  will  show  you  how  empty  this  world  is  in 
comparison  with  what  He  has  in  store. 

There  are  a  great  many  people  who  are  wondering 
why  they  do  not  mount  up  on  wings,  as  it  were,  and 
why  they  do  not  make  some  progress  in  the  divine  life ; 
why  they  do  not  grow  more  in  grace.  I  think  one 
reason  may  be  they  have  too  many  earthly  treasures. 
We  need  not  be  rich  to  have  our  hearts  set  on  riches. 

We  need  not  go  in  the  world  more  than  other  people 
to  have  our  hearts  there.  I  believe  the  Prodigal 
was  in  the  far  country  long  before  he  put  his  feet  there. 
When  his  heart  reached  there  he  was  there.  There  is 
many  a  man  who  does  not  mingle  so  much  in  the  world 
as  others  do,  but  his  heart  is  there,  and  he  would  be 
there  if  he  could,  and  God  looks  at  the  heart. 

Now,  what  we  need  to  do  is  to  obey  the  voice  of  the 
Master,  and  instead  of  laying  up  treasures  on  earth, 
lay  them  up  in  heaven.  If  we  do  that,  bear  in  mind, 
we  shall  never  be  disappointed. 

It  is  clear  that  idolaters  are  not  going  to  enter  the 
kingdom  of  God.  I  may  make  an  idol  of  my  business ; 
I  may  make  an  idol  of  the  wife  of  my  bosom ;  I  may 
make  idols  of  my  children.  I  do  not  think  you  need 
go  to  heathen  countries  to  find  men  guilty  of  idolatry. 
J  think  you  will  find  a  great  many  right  here  who  have 


94  HEAVEN: 


idols  in  their  hearts.  Let  us  pray  that  the  spirit  of 
God  may  banish  those  idols  from  our  hearts,  that  we 
may  not  be  guilty  of  idolatry ;  that  we  may  worship 
God  in  spirit  and  in  truth.  Anything  that  comes 
between  me  and  God  is  an  idol — anything,  I  don't  care 
what  it  is ;  business  is  all  right  in  its  place,  and  there 
is  no  danger  of  my  loving  my  family  too  much  if  I  love 
God  more ;  but  God  must  have  the  first  place ;  and  if 
He  has  not  then  the  idol  is  set  up. 

ALL  ETERNITY    FOR    REST. 

Not  the  least  of  the  riches  of  heaven  will  be  the  sat- 
isfaction of  those  wants  of  the  soul,  which  are  so  much 
felt  down  here  but  are  never  found — such  as  infinite 
knowledge,  perfect  peace  and  satisfying  love.  Like  a 
beautiful  likeness  that  has  been  marred,  daubed  all 
over  with  streaks  of  black,  and  is  then  restored  to  its 
original  beauty,  so  the  soul  is  restored  to  its  full  beauty 
of  color  when  it  is  washed  with  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ. 
The  senseless  image  on  the  canvas  cannot  be  compared, 
however,  in  any  other  way  with  the  living,  rational  soul. 

Could  we  but  see  some  of  our  friends  who  have  gone 
on  before  us  we  would  very  likely  feel  like  falling  down 
before  them.  The  Apostle  John  had  seen  so  many 
strange  things,  yet,  when  one  of  the  bright  angels  stood 
before  him  to  reveal  some  of  the  secrets  of  heaven, 
fell  down  to  worship  him.  He  says  in  the  last  chapter 
of  Revelation: 

"And  I  John  saw  these  things,  and  heard  them.  And  when  I  had 
heard  and  seen,  I  fell  down  to  worship  before  the  feet  of  the  angel 
which  shewed  me  these  things.  Then  saith  he  unto  me,  see  thou  do 
it  not;  for  I  am  thy  fellow  servant,  and  of  thy  brethren  the  prophets, 
an(i  of  them  which  keep  the  sayings  of  this  book.    Worship  God." 


ITS  RICHES.  95 


Among  the  wants  which  we  have  on  earth  is  the 
thirst  for  knowledge.  Much  as  sin  has  weakened  man's 
mental  faculties,  it  has  not  taken  away  any  of  his  de- 
sire for  knowledge.  But  witli  all  his  efforts,  with  all 
that  he  thinks  he  knows  about  astronomy,  chemistry 
and  geology,  and  the  rest  of  the  sciences,  his  knowl- 
edge of  the  secrets  of  nature  is  yet  limited. 

There  are  very  many  things  we  do  not  know.  Thous- 
ands of  astronomers  have  lived  and  died,  and  the  ages 
of  the  world  have  rolled  on,  and  it  was  only  the  other 
day,  as  it  were,  that  they  found  out  that  the  planet 
Mars  had  two  moons.  Perhaps  in  ages  to  come  some 
one  will  find  out  that  they  are  not  moons  at  all.  This 
is  what  most  of  our  human  knowledge  amounts  to. 

There  is  not  one  of  our  college  professors,  and  many 
of  them  have  gone  nearly  everywhere  in  the  world,  but 
is  anxious  to  learn  more  and  more,  to  find  out  new 
things,  to  make  new  discoveries.  If  we  were  as  fa- 
miliar with  all  the  stars  of  the  firmament  as  we  are 
with  our  own  earth,  still  we  would  not  be  satisfied. 

Not  until  we  are  like  God  can  we  comprehend  the 
infinite.  Even  the  imperfect  glimpses  of  God  that  we 
get  by  faith,  only  intensify  our  desire  for  more.  For 
now,  as  Paul  says  in  1st  Corinthians  xiii,  12: 

"Now  we  see  through  a  glass  darkly;  but  then  face   to  face; 
now  I  know  in  part;  but  then  shall  I  know  even  as  also  I  am  known." 

The  word  Paul  used,  properly  translated,  is  "  mir- 
ror." Now  we  see  God,  as  it  were,  in  a  looking-glass — 
but  then  face  to  face. 

Suppose  v/e  knew  nothing  of  the  sun  except  what  we 
saw  of  its  light  reflected  from  the  moon  ?  Would  we 
Tiot   wonder    about   its    immense    distance,   about  its 


96  HEAVEN: 


dazzling  splendor,  about  its  life-giving  power  ?  Now  all 
that  we  see,  the  sun,  the  moon,  the  stars,  the  ocean, 
the  earth,  the  flowers,  and  above  all,  man,  are  a  grand 
mirror  in  which  the  perfection  of  God  is  imperfectly 
reflected. 

Another  want  that  we  have  is  rest.  We  get  tired  of 
toiling.  Yet  there  is  no  real  rest  on  earth.  We  find  in  the 

4th  chapter  of  Hebrews,  beginning  with  the  9th  verse: 

• 

**  There  remaineth  therefore  a  rest  to  the  people  of  God.  For 
he  that  is  entered  into  his  rest,  he  also  hath  ceased  from  his  own 
works,  as  God  did  from  His.  Let  us  labor,  therefore,  to  enter  into 
that  rest,  lest  any  man  fall  after  the  same  example  of  unbeHef." 

Now,  while  we  all  want  rest,  I  think  a  great  many 
people  make  a  mistake  when  they  think  the  church  is 
a  place  of  rest;  and  when  they  unite  with  the  church 
they  have  a  false  idea  about  their  position  in  it.  There 
are  a  great  many  who  come  in  to  rest.  The  text  tells 
us:  "There  remaineth  a  rest  for  the  people  of  God," 
but  it  does  not  tell  us  that  the  church  is  a  place  of  rest; 
we  have  all  eternity  to  rest  in.  We  are  to  rest  by  and 
by ;  but  we  are  to  work  here,  and  when  our  work  is  fin- 
ished, the  Lord  will  call  us  home  to  enjoy  that  rest. 
There  is  no  use  in  talking  about  rest  down  here  in  the 
enemy's  country.  We  cannot  rest  in  this  world,  where 
God's  Son  has  been  crucified  and  cast  out.  I  think 
that  a  great  many  people  are  going  to  lose  their  re- 
ward just  because  they  have  come  into  the  church  with 
the  idea  that  they  are  to  rest  there,  as  if  the  church 
was  working  for  the  reward,  instead  of  each  one  build- 
ing over  against  his  own  house,  each  one  using  all  his 
influence  toward  the  building  up  of  Christ's  kingdom. 

In  Revelation  xiv,  13,  we  read; 


ITS  RICHES.  97 


"  And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven  saying  unto  me,  Write,  Blessed 
are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth;  Yea,  saith  the 
Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their  labors;  and  their  works  do 
follow  them." 

Now,  death  may  rob  us  of  money.  Death  may  rob 
us  of  position.  Death  may  rob  us  of  our  friends;  but 
there  is  one  thing  death  can  never  do,  and  that  is, 
rob  us  of  the  work  that  we  do  for  God.  That  will  live 
on  forever.  "Their  works  do  follow  them."  How 
much  are  we  doing?  Anything  that  we  do  outside  of 
ourselves,  and  not  with  a  mean  and  selfish  motive,  that 
is  going  to  live.  We  have  the  privilege  of  setting  in 
motion  streams  of  activity  that  will  flow  on  when  we 
are  dead  and  gone. 

It  is  the  privilege  of  everyone  to  live  more  in  the 
future  than  they  do  in  the  present,  so  that  their  lives 
will  tell  in  fifty  or  a  hundred  years  more  than  they  do  now. 

John  Wesley's  influence  is  a  thousand-fold  greater 
to-day  than  it  was  when  he  was  living.  He  still  lives. 
He  lives  in  the  lives  of  thousands  and  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  his  spiritual  descendants. 

Martin  Luther  lives  more  truly  to-day  than  he  did 
three  centuries  ago,  when  he  awakened  Germany. 
He  only  lived  one  life,  and  that  for  a  little  while.  But 
now,  look  at  the  hundreds  and  thousands  and  millions 
of  lives  that  he  is  living.  There  are  between  fifty  and 
sixty  millions  of  people  who  profess  to  be  followers  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  taught  by  Martin  Luther, 
who  bear  his  name.  He  is  dead  in  the  sight  of  the 
world,  but  his  "  works  do  follow  him."      He  still  lives. 

The  voice  of  John  the  Baptist  is  ringing  through 
the  world  to-day,  although  nearly  nineteen  hundred 


98  HEAVEN: 


years  have  passed  away  since  Herodias  asked  for  his 
death.  Herod  thought  when  he  beheaded  him  that  he 
was  hushing  his  voice,  but  it  is  ringing  throughout  the 
earth  to-day.  John  the  Baptist  lives,  because  he  lived 
for  God;  but  he  has  entered  into  his  rest,  and  "his 
works  do  follow  him." 

And  if  they  up  yonder  can  see  what  is  going  on 
upon  the  earth,  how  much  joy  they  must  have  to  think 
that  they  have  set  these  streams  in  motion,  and  that 
this  work  is  going  on — being  carried  on  after  them. 

If  a  man  lives  a  mean,  selfish  life,  he  goes  down  to 
the  grave,  and  his  name  and  everything  concerning  him 
goes  down  in  the  grave  with  him.  If  he  is  ambitious 
to  leave  a  record  behind  him,  with  a  selfish  motive,  his 
name  rots  with  his  body.  But  if  a  man  gets  outside 
of  himself  and  begins  to  work  for  God,  hip  name  will 
live  forever.  Why,  you  may  go  to  Scotland  to-day, 
and  you  will  find  the  influence  of  John  Knox  over  every 
mountain  in  Scotland.  It  seems  as  if  you  could  almost 
feel  the  breath  of  that  man's  prayer  in  Scotland  to-day. 
His  influence  still  lives.  "  Blessed  are  the  dead  who 
die  in  the  Lord.  They  rest  from  their  labors  and  their 
works  do  follow  them."  Blessed  rest  in  store;  we  wdll 
rest  by  and  by;  but  we  should  not  waste  time  talking 
about  rest  while  we  are  here.  .  .  .  . 

If  I  am  to  wipe  a  tear  from  the  cheek  of  that  father- 
less boy,  I  must  do  it  down  here.  It  is  not  said  in 
Scripture  that  we  shall  have  the  privilege  of  doing  that 
hereafter.  If  I  am  going  to  help  up  some  fallen  man 
who  has  been  overtaken  by  sin,  I  must  do  it  here.  We 
are  not  going  to  have  the  privilege  of  being  co-workers 
with  God  in  the  future — but   that    is    our  privilege 


ITS  RICHES.  99 


to-day.  We  may  not  have  it  to-morrow.  It  may  be 
taken  from  ns  to-morrow;  but  we  can  enter  into  the 
vineyard  and  do  something  to-day  before  the  sun  goes 
down.  We  can  do  something  now  before  we  go  to 
glory. 

Another  want  that  we  feel  here  is  Love.  Heaven  is 
the  only  place  where  the  conditions  of  love  can  be  ful- 
filled. There  love  is  essentially  mutual.  Everybody 
loves  everybody  else.  In  this  world  of  wickedness  and 
sin  it  seems  impossible  for  people  to  be  all  on  a  perfect 
equality.  When  we  meet  people  who  are  bright  and 
beautiful  and  good,  we  have  no  difficulty  in  loving 
them.  All  the  people  of  heaven  will  be  like  that.  There 
will  be  no  fear  of  misplaced  confidences  there.  There 
we  shall  never  be  deceived  by  those  we  love.  When  a 
suspicion  of  doubt  fastens  upon  any  one  who  loves,  their 
happiness  from  that  moment  is  at  an  end.  There  will 
be  no  suspicion  there. 

"  Beyond  these  chilling  winds  and  gloomy  skies, 
Beyond  death's  cloudy  portal, 
There  is  a  land  where  beauty  never  dies — ■ 
Where  love  becomes  immortal." 


Maix^f  ©nie  ©a^, 

BY  TIMOTHY  POLAND. 

Ye  ken,  dear  bairn,  that  we  maun  part. 
When  death,  cauld  death,  shall  bid  us  start; 
But  when  he'll  send  his  fearfu'  dart 

We  canna  say. 
So  we'll  mak'  ready  for  his  dart 

Maist  onie  day. 

We'll  keep  a'  right  and  guid  wi'in, 
Our  wark  will  then  be  free  frae  sin. 
Upright  we'll  walk  through  thick  and  thin, 

Straight  on  our  way. 
Deal  just  wi'  a',  the  prize  we'll  win 

Maist  onie  day. 

Ye  ken  there's  Ane,  wha's  just  and  wise, 
Has  said  that  a'  His  bairns  should  rise. 
An'  soar  aboon  the  lofty  skies. 

And  there  shall  stay. 
Being  well  prepared  we'll  gain  the  prize 

Maist  onie  day. 

When  He  wha  made  a'  things  just  right. 
Shall  call  us  hence  to  realms  of  light, 
Be  it  morn  or  noon,  or  e'en  or  night. 

We  will  obey. 
We'll  be  prepared  to  tak'  our  flight 

Maist  onie  day. 

Our  lamps  we'll  fill  brimfu'  o'  oil, 
Thet's  guid  and  pure,  that  wadna  spoil, 
And  keep  them  burning  a'  the  while, 

To  light  our  way. 
Our  wark  bein'  done  we'll  quit  the  soil, 

Maist  onie  day. 


IQQ 


ITS  EEWAEDS. 


m 


riofcKerel    flof  Jfere! 


Not  here!  Not  here!  Not  where  the  sparkling  waters 
Fade  into  mocking  sands  as  we  draw  near; 

Where,  in  the  wilderness,  each  footstep  falters! 
" I  shall  be  satisfied;"  but  oh,  not  here! 

There  is  a  land  where  every  pulse  is  thrilling 
With  rapture  earth's  sojourners  may  not  know, 

Where  heaven's  repose  the  weary  heart  is  stilling, 
And  peacefully  life's  storm-tossed  currents  flow. 

"  Satisfied !  Satisfied ! "     The  spirit's  yearning 
For  sweet  companionship  with  kindred  minds, 
The  silent  love  that  here  meets  no  returning. 
The  inspiration  which  no  language  finds. 

"  I  shaU  be  satisfied."     The  soul's  vague  longings. 
The  aching  void  which  nothing  earthly  fills! 
Oh!  What  desjres  upon  my  soul  are  thronging 
As  I  look  upward  to  the  heavenly  hills. 

Thither  my  weak  and  weary  steps  are  tending; 

Savior  and  Lord,  with  thy  frail  child  abide; 
Guide  me  toward  Home,  where,  all  my  wanderings  ended, 

I  then  shall  see  Thee,  and  "  be  satisfied." 

— ^Anon. 


101 


ITS  REWARDS.  103 


CHAPTEE  VI. 

ITS  REWARDS. 


Every  man  shall  receive  his  own  reward  according  to  his  own 
labor.    I  Cor.  iii.  8. 

My  reward  is  with  Me,  to  give  every  man  according  as  his  work 
shall  be.    Rev.  xxii,  12. 

If  I  understand  tilings  correctly,  whenever  you  find 
men  or  women  who  are  looking  to  be  rewarded  here 
for  doing  right,  they  are  unqualified  to  work  for  God; 
because  if  they  are  looking  for  the  applause  of  men, 
looking  for  reward  in  this  life,  it  will  disqualify  them 
for  the  service  of  God,  because  they  are  all  the  while 
compromising  truth. 

They  are  afraid  of  hurting  some  one's  feelings. 
They  are  afraid  that  some  one  is  going  to  say  some- 
thing against  them,  or  there  will  be  some  newspaper 
articles  written  against  them.  Now,  we  must  trample 
the  world  under  our  feet  if  we  are  going  to  get  our  re- 
ward hereafter.  If  we  live  for  God  we  must  suffer  per- 
secution. The  kingdom  of  darkness  and  the  kingdom 
of  light  are  at  war,  and  have  been,  and  will  be  as  long 
as  Satan  is  permitted  to  reign  in  this  world.  As  long 
as  the  kingdom  of  darkness  is  permitted  to  exist,  there 
will  be  a  conflict,  and  if  you  want  to  be  popular  in  the 


104  HEAVEN: 


kingdom  of  God,  if  you  want  to  be  popular  in  heaven, 
and  get  a  reward  that  shall  last  forever,  you  will  have 
to  Be  unpopular  here. 

If  you  seek  the  applause  of  men,  you  can't  have  the 
Lord  say  "Well  done"  at  the  end  of  the  journey 
You  can't  have  both.  Why  ?  Because  this  world  is  at 
war  with  God.  This  idea  that  the  world  is  getting  bet- 
ter all  the  while  is  false.  The  old  natural  heart  is  just 
as  much  at  enmity  with  God  as  it  was  when  Cain  slew 
Abel.  Sin  leaped  into  the  world  full  grown  in  Cain. 
And  from  the  time  that  Cain  was  born  into  the  world  to 
the  present,  man  by  nature  has  been  at  war  with  God. 
This  world  was  not  established  in  grace,  and  we  have  to 
fight  "the  world,  the  flesh  and  the  devil;"  and  if  we 
fight  the  world,  the  world  won't  like  us;  and  if  we  fight 
the  flesh,  the  flesh  won't  like  us.  We  have  to  mortify 
the  flesh.  We  have  to  crucify  the  old  man  and  put 
him  under.  Then,  by  and  by,  we  will  get  our  reward, 
and  a  glorious  reward  it  will  be. 

We  read  in  Luke  xvi,  15: 

"And  He  said  unto  them,  Ye  are  they  which  justify  yourselves 
before  men;  but  God  knoweth  your  hearts;  for  that  which  is  highly 
esteemed  among  men  is  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God." 

We  must  go  right  against  the  current  of  this  world. 
If  the  world  has  nothing  to  say  against  us,  we  can  be 
pretty  sure  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  very  little  to 
say  for  us.  There  are  those  who  do  not  like  to  go 
against  the  current  of  the  world.  They  say  they  know 
this  and  that  is  wrong,  but  they  do  not  say  a  word 
against  it  lest  it  might  make  them  unpopular.  If  we 
expect  to  get  the  reward  we  must  fight  the  good  fight 
of  faith.     For  all  such,  as  Paul  has  said,  "  there  is  laid 


ITS  REWARDS.  105 


up  a  crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the  right- 
eous Judge,  shall  give  us  at  that  day." 

FEAR  OF  DEATH. 

How  little  do  we  realize  the  meaning  of  the  word 
ETERNITY !  The  wliole  time  between  the  creation  of  the 
world  and  the  ending  of  it  would  not  make  a  day  in 
eternity.  In  time,  it  is  like  the  infinity  of  space,  whose 
center  is  everywhere  and  whose  boundary  is  nowhere. 
We  read  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews: 

"  Forasmuch,  then,  as  the  children  are  partakers  of  flesh  and 
blood,  He,  also  Himself,  likewise  took  part  of  the  same;  that 
through  death  He  might  destroy  Him  that  had  the  power  of  death 
— ^that  is  the  devil — and  deHver  them  who,  through  fear  of  death, 
were  all  their  lifetime  subject  to  bondage." 

There  are  a  great  many  of  God's  professed  children 
who  live  in  continual  bondage,  in  the  constant  fear  of 
death.  I  believe  that  it  is  dishonoring  God.  I  believe 
that  it  is  not  His  will  to  have  one  of  His  children  live 
in  fear  for  one  moment.  If  you  know  the  truth  as  it  is 
in  Christ,  there  need  be  no  fear,  there  need  be  no  dread, 
because  death  will  only  hasten  you  on  to  glory ;  and  your 
names  are  already  there. 

And  then  the  next  thought  is  for  those  who  are  dear 
to  us.  I  believe  that  it  is  not  only  our  privilege  to 
have  our  names  written  in  heaven,  but  those  of  the 
children  whom  God  has  given  us ;  and  our  hearts  ought 
to  go  right  out  for  them.  The  promise  is  not  only  to 
us,  but  to  our  children.  Many  a  father's  and  many  a 
mother's  heart  is  burdened  with  anxiety  for  the  salva- 
tion of  their  children.  If  your  o^vn  name  is  there,  let 
your  next  aim  in  life  be  to  get  the  children  whom  God 
has  given  you,  there  also. 


106  HEAVEN: 


A  mother  was  dying  in  one  of  our  Eastern  cities  a 
few  years  ago,  and  she  had  a  large  family  of  children. 
She  died  of  consumption,  and  the  children  were 
brought  in  to  her  one  by  one  as  she  was  sinking.  She 
gave  the  oldest  one  her  last  message  and  her  dying 
blessing;  and  as  the  next  one  was  brought  in  she  put 
her  hand  upon  its  head  and  gave  it  her  blessing;  and 
then  the  next  one  was  brought  in,  and  the  next,  until 
at  last  they  brought  in  the  little  infant.  She  took  it  to 
her  bosom  and  pressed  to  her  loving  heart,  and  her 
friends  saw  that  it  was  hastening  her  end ;  that  she  was 
excited,  and  as  they  went  to  take  the  little  child  from 
her,  she  said:  "My  husband,  I  charge  you  to  bring 
all  these  children  home  with  you."  And  so  God 
charges  us  parents  to  bring  our  children  home  with  us ; 
not  only  to  have  our  own  names  written  in  heaven,  but 
those  of  our  children  also. 

An  eminent  Christian  worker  in  New  York  told  me 
a  story  that  affected  me  very  much. 

A  father  had  a  son  who  had  been  sick  some  time,  but 
he  did  not  consider  him  dangerously  ill;-  until  one  day 
he  came  home  to  dinner  and  found  his  wife  weeping, 
and  he  asked,  "  What  is  the  trouble?" 

"  There  has  been  a  great  change  in  our  boy  since 
morning,"  the  mother  said,  "  and  I  am  afraid  he  is 
dying ;  I  wish  you  to  go  in  and  see  him,  and,  if  you  think 
he  is,  I  wish  you  to  tell  him  so,  for  I  cannot  bear  to." 

The  father  went  in  and  sat  down  by  the  bed-side, 
and  he  placed  his  hand  upon  his  forehead,  and  he  could 
feel  the  cold,  damp  sweat  of  death,  and  knew  its  cold, 
icy  hand  was  feeling  for  the  cords  of  life,  and  that 
his  boy  was  soon  to  be  taken  away,  and  he  said  to  him : 


ITS  REWARDS.  107 


"  My  son,  do  you  know  you  are  dying?  " 

The  little  fellow  looked  up  at  liim  and  said: 

"  No ;  am  I  ?  Is  this  death  that  I  feel  stealing  over 
me,  father?" 

"  Yes,  my  son,  you  are  dying." 

"  Will  I  live  the  day  out?" 

"  No;  you  may  die  at  any  moment." 

He  looked  up  to  his  father,  and  he  said:  "Well,  I 
shall  be  with  Jesus  to-night,  won't  I,  father?  " 

And  the  father  answered:  "  Yes,  my  boy,  you  will 
spend  to-night  with  the  Savior,"  and  the  father  turned 
away  to  conceal  the  tears,  that  the  little  boy  might  not 
see  him  weep;  but  he  saw  the  tears,  and  he  said: 

"  Father,  don't  you  weep  for  me ;  when  I  get  to 
heaven  I  will  go  straight  to  Jesus  and  tell  Him  that  ever 
since  I  can  remember  you  have  tried  to  lead  me  to  Him." 

I  have  three  children,  and  the  greatest  desire  of  my 
heart  is  that  they  may  be  saved;  that  I  may  know  that 
their  names  are  written  in  the  Book  of  Life.  I  may 
be  taken  from  them  early;  I  may  leave  them  in  this 
changing  world  mthout  a  father's  care ;  but  I  would 
rather  have  my  children  say  that  of  me  after  I  am 
dead  and  gone,  or  if  they  die  before  me  I  would 
rather  they  should  take  that  message  to  the  Master — 
that  ever  since  they  can  remember  I  have  tried  to  lead 
them  to  the  Master — than  to  have  a  monument  over  me 
reaching  to  the  skies. 

We  ought  not  to  look  upon  death  as  we  do.  Bishop 
Heber  has  written  of  a  dead  friend: 

"  Thou  art  gone  to  the  grave !    but  we  will  not  deplore  thee, 
Though  sorrow  and  darkness  encon)pass  the  tomb; 

Thy  Savior  has  passed  through  its  portals  before  thee, 
And  the  lamp  of  His  love  is  thy  guide  through  the  gloom. 


108  HEAVEN: 


" Thou  art  gone  to  the  grave!    We  no  longer  behold  thee, 
Nor  tread  the  rough  paths  of  the  world  by  thy  side; 

But  the  wide  arms  of  Mercy  are  spread  to  enfold  thee, 
And  sinners  may  die,  for  the  Sinless  has  died." 

The  roll  is  being  called,  and  one  after  another  sum- 
moned away,  but  if  the  names  of  our  loved  ones  are 
there,  if  we  know  that  they  are  saved,  how  sweet  it  is, 
after  they  have  left  us,  to  think  that  we  shall  meet  them 
by  and  by;  that  we  shall  see  them  in  the  morn  when 
the  night  has  worn  away. 

During  the  late  war  a  young  man  lay  on  a  cot,  and 
they  heard  him  say,  "  Here,  here!  "  and  some  one  went 
to  his  cot  and  wanted  to  know  what  he  wanted,  and  he 
said,  "Hark!  Hush,  don't  you  hear  them?  "  "Hear 
whom?"  was  asked.  "They  are  calling  the  roll  of 
heaven,"  he  said,  and  pretty  soon  he  answered,  "Here!" 
— and  he  was  gone.  If  our  names  are  in  the  Book  of 
Life,  by  and  by  when  the  name  is  called,  we  can  say 
with  Samuel,  "Here  am  I!"  and  fly  away  to  meet 
Him.  And  if  our  children  are  called  away  early, 
O,  it  is  so  sweet  to  think  that  they  died  in  Christ;  that 
the  great  Shepherd  gathers  them  in  His  arms  and  car- 
ries them  in  His  bosom,  and  that  we  shall  meet  them 
by  and  by. 

PAUL,    THE    CHRISTIAN    HEEO. 

The  way  to  get  to  heaven  is  to  be  saved  through  faith 
in  Jesus  Christ. 

We  get  salvation  as  a  gift,  but  we  have  to  work  it 
out,  just  as  if  we  got  a  gold  mine  for  a  gift. 

I  do  not  get  a  crown  by  joining  the  church,  or  rent- 
ing a  pew. 

There  was  Paul.  He  won  his  crown.  He  had  many 
a  hard  fight;  he  met  Satan  on  many  a  battle-field,  and 


ITS  REWARDS.  109 


he  overcame  him  and  wore  the  crown.  It  would  take 
about  ten  thousand  of  the  average  Christians  of 
this  day  or  any  other  to  make  one  of  Paul.  When  I 
read  the  life  of  that  Apostle,  I  blush  for  the  Christian- 
ity of  the  nineteenth  century.  It  is  a  weak  and  sickly 
thing. 

See  what  he  went  through.  He  Rye  times  was 
scourged.  The  old  Roman  custom  of  scourging  was  to 
take  the  prisoner  and  bind  his  wrists  together  and  bend 
him  over  in  a  stooping  posture,  and  the  Roman  soldier 
would  bring  the  lash,  braided  with  sharp  pieces  of  steel 
down  upon  the  bare  back  of  the  prisoner  and  cut  him 
through  the  skin,  so  that  men  sometimes  died  in  the 
act  of  being  scourged.  But  Paul  says  he  was  scourged 
five  different  times.  Now  if  we  should  get  one  stripe 
upon  our  backs  what  a  whining  there  would  be;  there 
would  be  forty  publishers  after  us  before  the  sun  went 
down,  and  they  would  want  to  publish  our  lives,  that 
they  could  make  capital  out  of  them.  But  Paul  says, 
"Five  times  received  I  forty  stripes,  save  one."  That 
was  nothing  for  him.     Take  your  stand  by  his  side. 

"Paul,  you  have  been  beaten  by  these  Jews  four 
times,  and  they  are  going  to  give  you  thirty-nine  stripes 
more;  what  are  you  going  to  do  after  yoa  get  out  of 
the  difficulty  ?     What  are  you  going  to  do  about  it  all  ? 

"Do  ?"  says  he,  "I  will  do  this  one  thing;  I  will 
press  toward  the  mark  of  the  prize  of  my  high  calling ; 
I  am  on  my  way  to  get  my  crov/n."  He  was  not  going 
to  lose  his  crown.  "  Don't  think  that  a  few  stripes  will 
turn  me  away;  these  light  afflictions  are  nothing." 

And  so  they  put  on  thirty-nine  more  stripes. 

He  had  sprung  into  the  race  for  Christ,  as  it  were, 


no  HEAVEN: 


and  was  leaping  toward  heaven.  If  you  will  allow  me 
the  expression,  the  devil  got  his  match  when  he  met 
Paul.  He  never  switched  off  to  a  side-track.  He 
never  sat  down  to  write  a  letter  to  defend  himself.  All 
the  strength  that  he  had  he  gave  to  Christ.  He  never 
gave  a  particle  to  the  world  nor  to  himself  to  defend 
himself.  "  This  one  thing  I  do,"  he  said,  "  I  am  not 
going  to  lose  the  crown."  See  that  no  man  take  your 
crown. 

"  Thrice  beaten  with  rods."  Take  your  stand  again 
beside  him. 

"  Now,  Paul,  they  have  beaten  you  twice,  and  they 
are  going  to  beat  you  again.  What  are  you  going  to 
do  ?  Are  you  going  to  continue  preaching  ?  If  you 
are,  let  me  give  you  a  little  advice.  Now,  don't  be 
quite  so  radical;  be  a  little  more  conservative;  just  use 
a  little  finer  language,  and,  so  to  speak,  cover  up  the 
cross  with  beautiful  words  and  flowery  sentences,  and 
tell  men  that  they  are  pretty  good  after  all ;  that  they 
are  not  so  bad,  and  try  and  pacify  the  Jews;  make 
friends  with  them,  and  get  in  with  the  world,  and  the 
world  will  think  more  of  you.  Don't  be  so  earnest; 
don't  be  so  radical,  Paul ;  now  come,  take  our  advice. 
What  are  you  going  to  do?  " 

"Do?"  he  says,  "I  do  this  one  thing — I  press 
toward  the  mark  of  the  prize  of  my  high  calling."  So 
they  put  on  the  rods,  and  every  blow  lifts  him  nearer 
God. 

Take  your  stand  with  him  again.  They  begin  to 
stone  him.  That  is  the  way  they  killed  those  who  did 
not  preach  to  suit  them. 

It  seems  as  if  he  was  about  to  be  paid  back  in  hie 


ITS  REWARDS.  HI 


own  coin,  for  when  Stephen  was  stoned  to  death,  Paul, 
then  known  as  Saul,  cheered  on  the  crowd. 
•  •  "  Now,  Paul,  this  is  growing  serious;  hadn't  you  bet- 
ter take  back  some  of  the  things  you  have  said  about 
Jesus?     What  are  you  going  to  do?" 

"Do?"  he  says,  "if  they  take  my  life  I  will  only 
get  my  crown  the  sooner." 

He  would  not  budge  an  inch.  He  had  something 
that  the  world  could  not  give;  he  had  something  it 
could  not  take  away ;  he  had  eternal  life,  and  he  had  in 
store  a  crown  of  glory. 

THESE  LIGHT  AFFLICTIONS. 

Three  times  was  he  shipwrecked;  a  day  and  a  night 
in  the  deep.  Look  at  that  mighty  apostle,  a  whole 
day  and  night  in  the  deep.  There  he  was — ship- 
wrecked, and  for  what?  Was  it  to  make  money?  He 
was  not  after  money.  He  was  just  going  from  city  to 
city,  and  town  to  town,  to  preach  the  glorious  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  to  lift  up  the  cross  wherever  he  had 
opportunity.  He  went  down  to  Corinth  and  preached 
eighteen  months,  and  he  didn't  have  a  lot  of  the  lead- 
iug  ministers  of  Corinth  to  come  on  the  platform  and 
sit  by  his  side  when  he  preached.  There  was  not  a 
man  who  stood  by  him.  When  he  reached  Corinth  he 
had  none  of  the  leading  business  men  to  stand  by  him 
and  advise  him;  but  the  little  tent-maker  arrives  in 
Corinth  a  perfect  stranger,  and  the  first  thing  he  does 
is  to  find  a  place  where  he  can  make  a  tent ;  he  does  not 
go  to  a  hotel ;  his  means  will  not  allow  it ;  he  goes  where 
he  can  make  his  bread  by  the  sweat  of  his  brow.  Think 
of  that  great  apostle  making  a  tent,  and  then  getting 


112  HEAVEN: 

on  the  corner  o£  a  street  and  preaching,  and  perhaps 
once  in  a  while  he  would  get  into  a  synagogue,  but  the 
Jews  would  turn  him  out;  they  did  not  want  to  hear 
him  preach  anything  about  Jesus  the  Crucified. 

When  I  read  of  the  life  of  such  a  man,  how  I  blush 
to  think  how  sickly  and  dwarfed  Christianity  is  at  the 
present  time,  and  how  many  hundreds  there  are  who 
never  think  of  working  for  the  Son  of  God  and  honor- 
ing Christ. 

Yet  when  he  wrote  that  letter  back  to  Corinth,  we 
find  him  taking  an  inventory  of  some  things  he  had. 
He  is  rich,  he  says,  "  In  journeying  soften,  in  perils  of 
waters,  in  perils  of  robbers,  in  perils  by  my  own  coun- 
trymen, in  perils  by  the  heathen,  in  perils  in  the  city, 
in  perils  in  the  wilderness,  in  perils  in  the  sea,  in  perils 
among  false  brethren."  This  last  must  have  been 
the  hardest  of  all.  "  In  weariness  and  painfulness,  in 
watchings  often ;  in  hunger  and  thirst,  in  fastings  often ; 
in  cold,  in  nakedness ;  and  besides  those  things  that  are 
without,  the  care  of  all  the  churches."  (II  Cor.  xi,  26- 
28. )  These  are  only  some  of  the  things  that  he  summed 
up.  Do  you  know  what  made  him  so  exceedingly  hap- 
py ?  It  was  because  he  believed  the  Scripture ;  he  be- 
lieved the  Sermon  on  the  Mount.  We  profess  to  be- 
lieve it;  we  pretend  to  believe  it;  but  few  of  us  more 
than  half  believe  it.  Listen  to  one  sentence  in  that 
sermon:  "Rejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad,  for  great  is 
your  reward  in  heaven,"  when  you  are  persecuted. 
Now  persecution  was  about  all  that  Paul  had. 

That  was  his  capital,  and  he  had  a  good  deal  of  it; 
he  had  laid  by  a  good  many  persecutions,  and  he  was 
to  get  a  great  reward,     Chi'ist  says:   "Rejoice  and  be 


ITS  REWARDS.  113 


exceeding  glad,  for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven." 
If  Jesus  Clirist  spoke  of  it  as  "great"  it  must  be 
indeed  wonderful.  We  call  things  great  that  may  look 
very  small  to  Jesus  Christ ;  and  things  that  look  very 
small  to  us  may  look  very  large  to  Him.  When  the 
great  Christ,  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  He  who 
formed  the  heavens  and  the  earth  by  His  mighty  power, 
when  He  calls  it  a  great  reward,  what  must  it  be  ? 

Perhaps  some  people  said  to  the  Apostle  to  the  Gen- 
tiles: "Now,  Paul,  you  are  meeting  with  too  much 
opposition;  you  are  suffering  too  much." 

Hear  him  reply:  "  Our  light  affliction,  which  is  but 
for  a  moment,  worketh  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and 
eternal  weight  of  glory." 

"  Our  light  affliction,"  he  calls  it.  We  would  have 
called  it  pretty  hard,  pretty  hea^y,  would  we  not?  " 

But  he  says:  "These  light  afflictions  are  nothing; 
think  of  the  glory  before  me,  and  think  of  the  crowning 
time ;  think  of  the  reward  that  is  laid  up  for  me.  I  am 
on  my  way;  the  Bighteous  Judge  will  give  it  to  me 
when  the  time  comes ;"  and  that  is  what  filled  his  soul 
with  joy ;  it  was  the  thought  of  reward  that  the  Lord 
had  in  store  for  him. 

Now,  my  friends,  let  us  just  for  a  minute  think  of 
what  Paul  accomplished.  Think  of  going  out,  as  it 
were,  among  the  heathen ;  the  first  missionary  to  preach 
to  these  men,  who  were  so  full  of  wickedness,  so  full  of 
enmity  and  bitterness,  the  glorious  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  to  tell  them  that  the  man  who  died  outside 
the  walls  of  the  city  of  Jerusalem  the  death  of  a  com- 
mon prisoner,  a  common  felon,  in  the  sight  of  the 
world,  was  the  promised  Christ;  to  tell  them  that  they 
8 


114  HEAVEN: 


had  to  believe  in  that  crucified  Man  in  order  to  enter 
the  kingdom  of  God.  Think  of  the  dark  mountain  that 
rose  up  before  him;  think  of  the  opposition;  think  of 
the  bitter  persecution,  and  then  think  of  the  trifles  in 
our  way. 

SONGS   IN   PEISON.  * 

But  a  great  many  worklly  people  think  Paul's  life 
was  a  failure.  Probably  his  enemies,  when  they  put 
him  in  prison,  thought  that  would  silence  him ;  but  do 
you  know  that  I  believe  to-day  Paul  thanks  God  more 
for  prisons,  for  stripes,  for  the  persecution  and  opposi- 
tion that  he  suffered,  than  for  anything  else  that  hap- 
pened to  him  here  ? 

The  very  things  we  do  not  like  are  sometimes  the 
very  best  for  us. 

Christians  probably  might  not  have  these  glorious 
Epistles,  if  Paul  had  not  been  thrown  into  prison.  There 
he  took  up  his  pen  and  wrote  letters  to  the  Christians 
in  Galatia,  Ephesus,  Philippi,  Colossse,  and  to  Phile- 
mon and  Timothy.  Look  at  the  two  Epistles  that  he 
wrote  to  the  Corinthians.  How  much  has  been  done 
for  the  world  by  these  Epistles.  AVhat  a  blessing  they 
have  been  to  the  church  of  God ;  how  great  a  light  they 
have  thrown  on  many  a  man's  life.  But  we  might  not 
have  had  those  Epistles  if  it  had  not  been  for  persecu- 
tion. 

Perhaps  John  Bunyan  blesses  God  more  to-day  for 
Bedford  jail  than  anything  that  happened  to  him. 
Probably  we  would  not  have  the  Pilgrim's  Progress  if 
he  had  not  been  thrown  into  that  prison.  Satan  thought 
he  accomplished  a  great  deal  when  he  shut  up  Bunyan 


ITS  REWARDS.  115 


for  twelve  years  and  six  months ;  but  what  a  blessing 
it  was  to  the  world ;  and  I  believe  Paul  blesses  God  to- 
day for  the  Philippian  jail,  and  for  tlie  imprisonment 
he  sufiered  in  Eome,  because  it  gave  him  time  to  write 
those  blessed  letters.  Talk  of  Alexander  making  the 
world  tremble  with  the  tread  of  his  armies,  and  of  Caesar 
and  Napoleon's  power,  but  here  is  a  little  tent-maker, 
who,  without  an  army,  turned  the  world  upside  down. 

Why? 

Because  God  Almighty  was  with  him. 

Paul  says  in  one  place:  "None  of  these  things  move 
me."  (Acts  xx,  24.)  They  threw  him  in  prison,  but  it 
was  all  the  same ;  it  did  not  move  him.  When  he  was 
at  Corinth  and  Athens  preaching,  it  made  no  difference. 
He  ust  "pressed  toward  the  mark  of  the  prize  of  his 
high  calling."  If  God  wanted  him  to  go  through 
prisons  to  win  the  prize,  it  was  all  the  same  to  him. 
They  put  Lim  in  prison,  but  they  put  the  Almighty  in 
with  him,  and  Paul  was  so  linked  to  Jesus  that  they 
could  not  separate  them.  He  would  rather  be  in  prison 
with  Christ  than  out  of  prison  without  Him.  He 
would  a  thousand  times  rather  be  cast  into  prison  with 
the  Son  of  God  and  suffer  a  little  persecution  for  a  few 
days  here,  than  to  be  living  at  ease  without  Him. 

He  heard  the  cry,  "Come  over  into  Macedonia  and 
help  us."  He  went  over  and  preached,  and  the  first 
thing  that  happened  to  him  was  that  he  was  put  into 
the  Philippian  jail.  Now,  if  he  had  been  as  faint- 
hearted as  most  of  us,  he  would  have  been  disappointed 
and  cast  down.  There  would  have  been  a  great  com- 
plaint. 

He  would  have  said:  "  This  is  a  strange  Providence; 


116  HEAVEN: 


whatever  brought  me  here  ?  I  thought  the  Lord  called 
me  here;  here  I  am  in  prison  in  a  strange  city;  how 
did  1  ever  get  here  ?  How  will  I  ever  get  out  of  this 
place?  I  have  no  money;  I  have  no  friends;  I  have  no 
attorney;  I  have  no  one  to  intercede  for  me,  and  here 
I  am."  Paul  and  Silas  were  not  only  in  prison,  but 
their  feet  were  made  fast  in  the  stocks.  There  they 
were,  in  the  inner  prison,  a  dark,  cold,  damp  dungeon. 
But  at  midnight  the  other  prisoners  heard  a  strange 
sound.  They  had  never  heard  anything  like  it  before. 
They  heard  singing.  I  do  not  know  what  song  those 
two  imprisoned  evangelists  sang,  but  I  know  one  thing, 
it  was  not  "  a  doleful  sound  from  the  tombs."  You 
know  we  have  a  hymn,  "  Hark,  from  the  tombs  a  dole- 
ful sound."  They  did  not  sing  that,  but  the  Bible  tells 
us  they  sang  praises.  That  was  a  queer  place  to  sing 
praises,  was  it  not? 

I  suppose  it  was  time  for  the  evening  prayers,  and 
that  they  had  just  had  their  evening  prayer  and  then 
sang  their  evening  hymn.  And  God  answered  their 
prayers,  and  the  old  prison  shook,  and  the  chains 
dropped,  and  the  prison  doors  were  opened.  Yes,  yes ; 
I  have  no  doubt  that  in  glory  he  thanks  God  that  he 
went  to  jail  and  that  the  Philippian  jailer  became  con- 
verted. 

SWEPT    INTO    GLORY. 

But  look  at  him  at  Eome.  Nero  has  signed  his 
death  warrant.  Take  your  stand  and  look  at  the  little 
man.  He  is  small;  in  the  sight  of  the  world  he  is 
contemptible  (II  Cor.  xii,  10)  ;  the  world  frowns  upon 
him.     Go  to  the  palace  of  the  king  and  talk  about  that 


ITS  REWARDS.  117 


criminal — about  Paul — and  you  will  see  a  sneer  on 
their  countenances. 

"  Oh,  he  is  a  fanatic,"  they  say;  "  he  has  gone  mad." 
I  wish  the  world  was  filled  with  such  fanatics.  I  tell 
you  what  we  want  to-day  is  a  few  fanatics  like  him; 
men  who  fear  nothing  but  sin  and  love  no  one  but  God. 

Rome  never  had  such  a  conqueror  within  her  walls. 
Rome  never  had  such  a  mighty  man  as  Paul  within  her 
boundaries.  Although  the  world  looked  down  upon 
him,  and  perhaps  he  looked  very  small  and  contempti- 
ble, yet  in  the  sight  of  heaven  he  was  the  mightiest 
man  who  ever  trod  the  streets  of  Rome.  Probably 
there  will  never  be  another  one  like  him  traveling  those 
streets.  The  Son  of  God  walked  with  him,  and  the 
form  of  the  Fourth  was  with  him.  But  go  into  that 
prison;  there  he  is;  officials  come  to  him  and  tell  him 
that  Nero  has  signed  his  death-warrant.  He  does  not 
tremble;  he  is  not  afraid. 

"  Paul,  are  you  not  sorry  you  have  been  so  zealous 
for  Christ?  It  is  going  to  cost  you  your  life;  if  you 
had  to  live  it  over  again,  would  you  give  it  to  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  ?  "  What  do  you  think  the  old  warrier  would 
reply  ? 

See  that  eye  light  up  as  he  says:  "  If  I  had  ten  thous- 
and lives  I  should  give  every  one  of  those  lives  to 
Christ,  and  the  only  regret  I  have  is  that  I  did  not 
commence  -earlier  and  serve  Him  better ;  the  only  regret 
I  have  now  is  that  I  ever  lifted  my  voice  against  Jesus 
of  Nazareth." 

*'  But  they  are  going  to  behead  you." 

*  Well,  they  may  take  my  head,  but  the  Lord  has  my 
heart.     I  care  nothing  about  my  head;  the  Lord  has 


118  HEAVEN'. 


my  heart  and  lias  had  it  for  years.  They  cannot  sep- 
arate me  from  the  Lord,  and  when  my  head  is  taken 
off,  I  shall  depart  to  be  with  Christ,  which  is  far  better." 

And  they  led  him  out.  I  do  not  know  at  what  hour; 
perhaps  it  was  early  in  the  morning.  There  is  a  tra- 
dition tells  us  that  they  led  him  two  miles  out  of  the 
city.  Look  at  the  little  tent-maker  as  he  goes  through 
the  streets  of  Home  with  a  firm  tread.  Look  at  that 
giant  as  he  moves  through  the  streets.  He  is  on  his 
way  to  execution.  Take  your  stand  by  his  side  and 
hear  him  talk.     He  is  talking  of  the  glory  beyond. 

He  says:  "Henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a 
crown  of  righteousness.  I  shall  see  the  King  in  His 
beauty  to-night.  I  have  longed  to  be  with  Him;  I 
have  longed  to  see  Him.  This  is  the  day  of  my 
crowning." 

The  world  scoffed  at  him,  but  he  did  not  hee  dits 
scoffing.  He  had  something  the  world  had  not;  burn- 
ing within  him  he  had  a  love  and  zeal  which  the  world 
knew  nothing  about.  Ah,  the  love  that  Paul  had  for 
Jesus  Christ !  But,  oh,  the  greater  love  the  Lord  Jesus 
had  for  Paul! 

The  hour  has  come.  The  way  they  used  to  behead 
them  in  those  days  was  for  the  prisoner  to  bend  his 
head,  when  a  Roman  soldier  took  a  sword  and  cut  it 
off.  The  hour  had  come,  and  I  seem  to  see  Paul,  with 
a  joyful  countenance,  bending  his  blessed  head,  as  the 
soldier's  sword  comes  down  and  sets  his  spirit  free. 

If  our  eyes  could  look  as  Elisha's  looked,  we  might 
have  seen  him  leap  into  a  chariot  of  light  like  Elijah; 
we  would  have  seen  him  go  sweeping  through  limitless 
space. 


ITS  REWARDS.  119 


Look  at  him  now  as  iie  mounts  highfjr  and  higher ; 
look  at  him,  see  him  move  np;  up — up — up — ever 
upward. 

Look  at  him  yonder! 

See!  He  is  entering  now  the  Eternal  City  of  the 
glorified  saints,  the  blissful  abode  of  the  Savior's 
redeemed.  The  prize  he  so  long  has  sought  is  at  hand. 
See  the  gates  yonder ;  how  they  fly  v/ide  open.  See  the 
herald  angels  on  the  shining  battlements  of  heaven. 
Hear  the  glad  shout  that  is  passed  along,  "  He  is  com- 
ing! He  is  coming!"  And  he  goes  sweeping  through 
the  pearly  gates,  along  the  shining  way,  to  the  very 
throne  of  God,  and  Christ  stands  there  and  says:  "  Well 
done,  thou  good  and  faithful  servant;  enter  thou  into 
the  joy  of  thy  Lord." 

Just  think  of  hearing  the  Master  say  it.  Will  not 
that  be  enough  for  everything  ? 

O  friends,  your  turn  and  mine  will  come  by-and-by, 
if  we  are  but  faithful.  Let  us  see  that  we  do  not  lose 
the  crown.  Let  us  awake  and  put  on  the  whole  armor 
of  God;  let  us  press  into  the  conflict;  it  is  a  glorious 
privilege ;  and  then  to  us  too,  as  to  the  glorified  of  old, 
will  come  that  blessed  welcome  from  our  glorified  Lord: 
"  Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful  servant." 


NOTICE.— All  former  books  (before  this  series),  issued  in 

Mr.  Moody's  name,  have  been  mere  compilations 

from  newspaper  reports  of  his  sermons, 

issued   without   his  consent  and 

notwithstanding  his  protest. 


WORKS  BY 

MR.    r>.    L.    MOODY, 

PUBLISHED   BY 

F.  H.  REVELL,  148  &  ISO  MADISON  ST., 
CHICAGO. 

^S^The  following  Books  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price. „:^^ 

SPECIAL  TERMS  ARE  GIVEN  i"OR  aUANTITIES. 

Over  350,000  copies  of  these  v/^orks   have  already  been  sold 
the  greater  portion    within  the  last  three  years. 


To  the  Work !  To  the  Work !     By  D.   L.  Moodv.     Exhortations  to 
Christians. 

Tinted  covers,  30c. ;  cloth  boards,  gilt  dies,  60c. 

This  new  work  by  Mr.  Moody  is  in  the  line  of  his  most  successful 
efforts,  that  of  stirring  christians  to  active,  personal,  aggressive  work 
for  the  Master.  Mr.  Moody  has  frequently  been  heard  to  say  that 
it  was  much  better  to  set  100  men  to  work  than  to  do  the  work 
of  100  men.  This  little  volume  will  we  confidently  believe  be  a 
means  of  inspiring  not  hundreds,  but  thousands  to  more  efficient 
effort  in  Christian  life. 

Secret  Power,  or  The  Secret  of  Success  in  Christian  Life  and  Christian 
Work.     By  D.  L.  Moody.     Fifty-tifth  Thousand. 

"This  work,  so  full  of  inspiration  and  suggestion,  has  been  re- 
printed in  England,  and  has  also  been  translated  into  French  and 
Italian.  Through  the  kindness  of  a  consecrated  lady,  a  cDpy  of  the 
book  has  been  presented  to  every  Protestant  minister  in  Italy, 
while  another  friend  sends  the  English  edition  to  every  Presbyterian 
minister  in  Ireland. 
Cloth,  neat,  boc  ;  Paper  Covers,  joc. 

It  is  a  good  statement  of  the  secret  of  success  in  Christian  Life, 
by  one  who  has  some  claim  to  speak  on  such  a  theme. — 7 he  Outlook. 

This  series  of  earnest  and  solemn  Addresses  bear  throughout  that 
stamp  of  honest,  eager  earnestness,  which  is  so  striking  a  character- 
istic of  the  writer's  labors  as  a  preacher. — Clerical  World. 


THE  WAY  TO  GOD 


And  How  To  Find  It 


m 


E).  L.  MOODY, 


CHICAGO  : 
F.  H.  REVELL,  148  &  150  Madison  Sti  eel, 

JhiblLfher  of  Evangelical  Literature, 


Wintered  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1884., 

By  F.  H.  liEVELL, 
In  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington^ 


ALL  RIGHTS  BE  SERVED. 


J.  I..  BEGAN  &  CO., 

PRINTERS     AND     BINDERS, 

226, 228  &  lil  Lake  Street, 

CHICAGO. 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter        I.     "Love  that  passeth  Knowledge"        .         7 


Chapter      II.       The  Gateway  into  the  I^jngdom        .       22 

A 

Chapter    III.       The  Two  Classes  .         .  41 


Chapter     IV.  Words  of  Counsel  ...       63 

Chapter       V.  A  Divine  Saviour  .         .         .  68 

Chapter     VI.  Repentance  and  Restitution      .         .       71 

Chapter  VII.  Assurance  of  Salvation         .         .  84 

Chapter  VIII.  Christ  All  and  in  All  .  101 

Chapter    IX.  Backsliding  .  .114 


TO    THE    READER. 


In  this  small  volume  I  have  endeavored  to  point 
out  the  Way  to  God. 

I  have  embodied  in  the  little  book  a  considerable 
part  of  several  addresses  which  have  been  delivered  in 
different  cities,  both  of  Great  Britain  and  my  own 
country.  God  has  graciously  owned  them  when 
spoken  from  the  pulpit,  and  I  trust  will  none  the 
less  add  his  blessing  now  they  have  been  put  into 
the  printed  page  with   additional  matter. 

I  have  called  attention  first  to  the  Love  of  God,  the 
source  of  all  Gifts  of  Grace;  have  then  endeavored  to 
present  truths  to  meet  the  special  needs  of  representa- 
tive classes,  answering  the  question,  "How  man  can 
be  just  with  God,"  hoping  thereby  to  lead  souls  to  Him 
who  is  "the  Way,  the  Truth  and  the  Life." 


The  last  chapter  is  specially  addressed  to  Back- 
sliders— a  class,   alas,   far   too    numerous  amongst  us. 

With  the  earnest  prayer  and  hope  that  by  the 
blessing  of  God  on  these  pages  the  reader  may  be 
strengthened,  estabHshed  and  settled  in  the  faith  of 
Christ, 

I  am,  yours  in  His  service, 


THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 


CHAPTER  I. 
''LOVE  THAT PASSETH  KNOWLEDGE." 

"  To  know  the  love  of  Christ  which  passeth  knowledge." 

(Ephesians  iii.  19.) 

\  If  I  could  only  make  men  understand  the  real  meaning 
of  the  words  of  the  apostle  John — "  God  is  love,"  I  would 
take  that  single  text,  and  would  go  up  and  down  the  world 
proclaiming  this  glorious  truth.  If  you  can  convince  a  man 
that  you  love  him  you  have  won  his  heart.  If  we  really  make 
people  beheve  that  God  loves  them,  how  we  should  find  them 
crowding  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  I  The  trouble  is  that 
men  think  God  hates  them ;  and  so  they  are  all  the  time  run- 
ning away  from  Him. 

We  built  a  church  in  Chicago  some  years  ago;  and 
were  very  anxious  to  teach  the  people  the  love  of  God.  We 
thought  if  we  could  not  preach  it  into  their  hearts  we  would 
try  and  burn  it  in ;  so  we  put  right  over  the  pulpit  in  gas-jets 
these  words — God  is  Love.  A  man  going  along  the  streets 
one  night  glanced  through  the  door,  and  saw  the  text.  He 
was  a  poor  prodigal.  As  he  passed  on  he  thought  to  himself, 
"  *  God  is  Love !'  No !  He  does  not  love  me ;  for  I  am  a  pooj 
miserable  sinner."  He  tried  to  get  rid  of  the  text;  but  it 
seemed  to  stand  out  right  before  him  in  letters  of  fire.  He 
went  on  a  little  further;  then  turned  round,  went  back,  and 


g  THE  WAT  TQ  GOt). 


went  into  the  meeting.  He  did  not  hear  the  sermon ;  but  the 
words  of  that  short  text  had  got  deeply  lodged  in  his  heart, 
and  that  was  enough.  It  is  of  little  account  what  men  say 
if  the  Word  of  God  only  geta  an  entrance  into  the  sinner's 
heart.  Re  staid  after  the  first  meeting  was  over;  and  I  found 
him  there  weeping  like  a  child.  As  I  unfolded  the  Scriptures 
and  told  him  how  God  had  loved  him  all  the  time,  although 
he  had  wandered  so  far  away,  and  how  God  was  waiting  to 
receive  him  and  forgive  him,  the  light  of  the  Gospel  broke 
into  his  mind,  and  he  went  away  rejoicing. 

There  is  nothing  in  this  world  that  men  prize  so  much  as 
they  do  Love.  Show  me  a  person  who  has  no  one  to  care  for 
or  love  him,  and  I  will  show  you  one  of  the  most  wretched 
r  beings  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  Why  do  people  commit  sui- 
cide? Very  often  it  is  because  this  thought  steals  in  upon 
them — that  no  one  loves  them;  and  they  would  rather  die 
than  live. 

I  know  of  no  truth  in  the  whole  Bible  that  ought  to  come 
home  to  us  with  such  power  and  tenderness  as  that  of  the 
-^  Love  of  God;  and  there  is  no  truth  in  the  Bible  that  Satan 
would  so  much  like  to  blot  out.  For  more  than  six  thousand 
years  he  has  been  trying  to  persuade  men  that  God  does  not 
love  them.  He  succeeded  in  making  our  first  parents  beheve 
this  lie ;  and  he  too  often  succeeds  with  their  children. 

The  idea  that  God  does  not  love  us  often  comes  from  false 
teaching.  Mcohers  make  a  mistake  in  teaching  children  that 
God  does  not  love  them  when  they  do  wrong;  but  only  when 
they  do  right.  That  is  not  taught  in  Scripture.  You  do 
not  teach  your  children  that  when  they  do  wrong  you  hate 
them.  Their  wrong-doing  does  not  change  your  love  to  hate; 
if  it  did,  you  would  change  your  love  a  great  many  times. 
Because  your  child  is  fretful,  or  has  committed  some  act  of 
disobedience,  you  do  not  cast  him  out  as  though  he  did  not 


"LOVE  THAT  PASSETH  KNOWLEDOE."  d 


-V 


belong  to  you!  No!  he  is  still  your  child;  and  you  love  him. 
And  if  men  have  gone  astray  from  God  it  does  not  follow  that 
He  hates  them.     It  is  the  sin  that  He  hates. 

I  believe  the  reason  why  a  great  many  people  think  God 
does  not  love  them  is  because  they  are  measuring  God  by 
their  own  small  rule,  from  their  own  standpoint.  We  love 
men  as  long  as  we  consider  them  worthy  of  our  love ;  when 
they  are  not  we  cast  them  off.  It  is  not  so  with  God.  There 
is  a  vast  difference  between  human  love  and  Divine  love. 

Iix  Ephesians  iii.  18,  we  are  told  of  the  breadth,  and 
length,  and  depth,  and  height,  of  God's  love.  Many  of  us 
think  we  know  something  of  God's  love;  but  centuries  hence 
we  shall  admit  we  have  never  found  out  much  about  it.  Col- 
umbus discovered  America;  but  what  did  he  know  about  its 
great  lakes,  rivers,  forests,  and  the  Mississippi  Valley?  He 
died,  without  knowing  much  about  what  he  had  discovered. 
So,  many  of  us  have  discovered  something  of  the  love  of  God; 
but  there  are  heights,  depths  and  lengths  of  it  we  do  not 
know.  That  Love  is  a  great  ocean ;  and  we  require  to  plimge 
into  it  before  we  really  know  anything  of  it.  It  is  said  of  a 
Koman  Catholic  Archbishop  of  Paris,  that  when  he  was  thrown 
^  into  prison  and  condemned  to  be  shot,  a  little  while  before  he 
was  led  out  to  die,  he  saw  a  window  in  his  cell  in  the  shape  of 
a  cross.  Upon  the  top  of  the  cross  he  wrote  "height,"  at  the 
bottom  "depth,"  and  at  the  end  of  each  arm  "length."  He 
had  experienced  the  truth  conveyed  in  the  hymn — 

"  AVhen  I  sun^ey  the  wondrous  Cross, 
On  which  the  Prince  of  Glory  died. " 

When  we  wish  to  know  the  love  of  God  we  should  go  to 
Calvary.  Can  we  look  upon  that  scene,  and  say  God  did  not 
love  us?  That  cross  speaks  of  the  love  of  God.  Greater  love 
never  has  been  taught  than  that  which  the  cross  teaches. 
What  prompted  God  to  give  up  Christ? — what  prompted  Christ 


-:l 


10  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

to  die? — if  it  were  not  love?  "Greater  love  liath  no  man 
than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends." 
Christ  laid  down  His  life  for  His  enemies;  Christ  laid  down 
His  life  for  His  murderers ;  Christ  laid  down  His  life  for  them 
that  hated  Him;  and  the  spirit  of  the  cross,  the  spirit  of  Cal- 
vary, is  love.  "When  they  were  mocking  Him  and  deriding 
Him,  what  did  He  say?  *'  Father,  forgive  them,  for  they  know  A^ 
not  what  they  do."  That  is  love.  He  did  not  call  down  iire 
from  heaven  to  consume  them ;  there  was  nothing  but  love  in 
His  heart. 

If  you  study  the  Bible  you  will  find  that  the  love  of  God 
is  unchangeable.  Many  v/ho  loved  you  at  one  time  have  per- 
haps grown  cold  in  their  affection,  and  turned  away  from  you  : 
it  may  be  that  their  love  is  changed  to  hatred.  It  is  not  so 
with  God.  It  is  recorded  of  Jesus  Christ,  just  when  He  was 
about  to  be  parted  from  His  disciples  and  led  away  to  Calvary, 
that :  "having  loved  His  own  which  were  in  the  world,  He 
loved  them  unto  the  end"  (John  xiii.  1).  He  knew  that  one 
of  His  disciples  would  betray  Him;  yet  He  loved  Judas.  He 
knew  that  another  disciple  would  deny  Him,  and  swear  that 
he  never  knew  Him;  and  yet  He  loved  Peter.  It  was  the  love 
which  Christ  had  for  Peter  that  broke  his  heart,  and  brought 
him  back  in  penitence  to  the  feet  of  his  Lord.  For  three  years 
Jesus  had  been  with  the  disciples  trying  to  teach  them  His 
love,  not  only  by  His  life  and  words,  but  by  His  works.  And, 
on  the  night  of  His  betrayal,  He  takes  a  basin  of  water,  girds 
Himself  with  a  towel,  and  taking  the  place  of  a  servant, 
washes  their  feet;  He  wanted  to  convince  them  of  His  un- 
changing love. 

There  is  no  portion  of  Scripture  I  read  so  often  as  John 

^L  xiv;  and  there  is  none  that  is  more  sweet  to  me.     I  never  tire 

of  reading  it.     Hear  what  our  Lord  says,  as  He  pours  out  His 

heart  to  His  Disciples  :  "At  that  day  ye  shall  know  that  I  am 


A 


''LOVE  THAT  PASSETH  KNOWLEDGE."  11 

in  My  Father,  and  ye  in  Me,  and  I  in  you.  He  that  hath  My 
commandments,  and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth  Me : 
and  lie  that  loveth  Me  shall  be  loved  by  Mij  Father''^  (xiv.  20,21). 
J  Think  of  the  great  God  who  created  heaven  and  earth  loving 
you  and  me!  .  .  .  "If  a  man  love  Me,  he  ^vill  keep  My 
words;  and  My  Father  will  love  him;  and  We  will  come  unto 
him,  and  make  Our  ahode  with  him"  [v.  23). 

Would  to  God  that  our  puuy  minds  could  grasp  this  great 
J  truth,  that  the  Father  and  the  Son  so  love  us  that  They  desire 
to  come  and  abide  with  us.  Not  to  tarry  for  a  night,  but  to 
come  and  ahids  in  our  hearts. 

We  have  another  passage  more  wonderful  still  in  John 
xvii.  23.  "I  in  them,  and  thou  in  Me,  that  they  may  be 
made  perfect  in  one;  and  that  the  world  may  know  that  Thou 
hast  sent  Me,  and  hast  loved  them  as  Thou  hast  loved  Me."  I 
think  that  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  sayings  that  ever  fell 
from  the  lips  of  Jesus  Christ,  There  is  no  reason  why  the 
Father  should  not  love  him.  He  was  obedient  unto  death; 
He  never  transgressed  the  Father's  law,  or  turned  aside  from 
the  path  of  perfect  obedience  by  one  hair's  breadth.  It  is  very 
^different  with  us;  and  yet,  notwithstanding  all  our  rebellion 
and  foolishness.  He  says  that  if  we  are  trusting  in  Christ,  the 
Father  loves  us  as  He  loves  the  Sou.  Marvellous  love !  Won- 
derful love!  That  God  can  po^^sibly  love  us  as  He  loves  His 
own  Son  seems  too  good  to  be  true.  Yet  that  is  the  teaching 
of  Jesus  Christ. 

It  is  hard  to  make  a  sinner  believe  in  this  unchangeable 
lore  of  God.  When  a  man  has  wandered  away  from  God  he 
thinks  that  God  hates  him.  We  must  make  a  distinction 
between  sin  and  the  sinner.  God  loves  the  sinner;  but  he 
hates  the  sin.  He  hates  sin,  because  it  mars  human  life. 
It  is  just  because  God  loves  the  sinner  that  He  hates  sin. 

God's  love  is  not  only  unchangeable,  but  unfailimj.  In 
Isaiah  xlix.  15, 16  we  read:   "Can  a  woman  forget  her  sucking 


12  THE  ^yAY  TO  GOD. 


child  that  she  should  not  have  compassion  on  the  sou  of  her 
womb?  yea,  they  may  forget;  yet  will  I  not  forget  thee.  Be- 
hold I  have  graven  thee  upon  the  palms  of  My  hands;  thy 
walls  are  continually  before  Me." 

Now  the  strongest  human  love  that  we  know  of  is  a 
mother  s  love.  Many  things  will  separate  a  man  from  his  wife. 
A  father  may  turn  his  back  on  his  child;  brothers  and  sisters 
may  become  inveterate  enemies;  husbands  may  desert  their 
wives;  wives,  their  husbands.  But  a  mother's  love  endures 
through  all.  In  good  repute,  in  bad  repute,  in  the  face  of  the 
world's  condemnation,  a  mother  loves  on,  and  hopes  that  her 
child  may  turn  from  his  e\dl  ways  and  repent.  She  remem- 
bers the  infant  smiles,  the  merry  laugh  of  childhood,  the 
promise  of  youth ;  and  she  can  never  be  brought  to  think  him 
unworthy.  Death  cannot  quench  a  mother's  love;  it  is 
stronger  than  death. 

You  have  seen  a  mother  watching  over  her  sick  child. 
How  willingly  she  would  take  the  disease  into  her  own  body 
if  she  could  thus  relieve  her  child !  Week  after  ^\  eek  she  will 
keep  watch ;  she  wdll  let  no  one  else  take  care  of  that  sick  child. 

A  friend  of  mine,  some  time  ago,  was  visiting  in  a  beauti- 
ful home  where  he  met  a  number  of  friends.  After  they  had 
all  gone  away,  having  left  something  behind,  he  went  back  to 
get  it.  There  he  found  the  lady  of  the  house,  a  wealthy  lady, 
sitting  behind  a  poor  fellow  who  looked  like  a  tramp.  He  was 
her  own  son.  Like  the  prodigal,  he  had  wandered  far  away: 
yet  the  mother  said,  "  This  is  my  boy;  I  love  him  still."  Take 
/  a  mother  with  nine  or  ten  children,  if  one  goes  astray,  she 
seems  to  love  that  one  more  than  any  of  the  rest. 

A  leading  minister  in  the  state  of  New  York  once  told  me 
of  a  father  who  was  a  very  bad  character.  The  mother  did  all 
she  could  to  prevent  the  contamination  of  the  boy ;  but  the 
influence  of  the  father  was  stronger,  and  he  led  his  son  into 


^'LOVE  THAT  PASSETH  KNOWLEDGE.*'  13 

all  kinds  of  sin  until  the  lad  became  one  of  the  worst  of 
criminals.  He  committed  murder,  and  was  put  on  his  trial. 
All  through  the  trial,  the  widowed  mother  (for  the  father  had 
died)  sat  in  the  court.  When  the  witnesses  testified  against 
the  boy  it  seemed  to  hurt  the  mother  much  more  than  the  son. 
When  he  was  found  f^'uilty  and  sentenced  to  die,  every  one  else 
feeling  the  justice  of  the  verdict,  seemed  satisfied  at  the  result. 
But  the  mother's  love  never  faltered.  She  begged  for  a 
reprieve;  but  that  was  denied.  After  the  execution  she  craved 
for  the  body ;  and  this  also  was  refused.  According  to  custom, 
it  was  buried  in  the  prison  yard.  A  little  while  afterwards 
the  mother  herself  died ;  but,  before  she  was  taken  away,  she 

7^  expressed  a  desire  to  be  buried  by  the  side  of  her  boy.  She 
was  not  ashamed  of  being  known  as  the  mother  of  a  murderer. 
The  story  is  told  of  a  young  woman  in  Scotland,  who  left 
her  home,  and  became  an  outcast  in  Glasgow.  Her  mother 
sought  her  far  and  wide,  but  in  vain.  At  last,  she  caused  her 
picture  to  be  hung  upon  the  walls  of  the  Midnight  Mission 
rooms,  where  abandoned  women  resorted.  Many  gave  the 
picture  a  passing  glance.  One  lingered  by  the  picture.  It  is 
the  same  dear  face  that  looked  down  upon  her  in  her  childhood. 
She  has  not  forgotten  nor  cast  off  her  sinning  child;  or  her 
picture  would  never  have  been  hung  upon  those  walls.  The 
lips  seemed  to  open,  and  whisper,  "Come  home;  I  forgive  you, 
and  love  you  still."     The  poor  girl  sank  down  overwhelmed 

_,  with  her  feelings.  She  was  the  prodigal  daughter.  The 
sight  of  her  mother's  face  had  broken  her  heart.  She  became 
truly  penitent  for  her  sins,  and  with  a  heart  full  of  sorrow  and 
shame,  returned  to  her  forsaken  home;  and  mother  and 
daughter  were  once  more  united. 

But  let  me  tell  you  that  no  mother's  love  is  to  be  com- 
pared with  the  love  of  God;  it  does  not  measure  the  height  or 
the  depth  of  God's  love.  No  mother  in  i\\\^  world  ever 
loved  her  child  as  God  loves  you  and  me.     Think  of  the  love 


-h 


4- 


14  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

that  God  must  have  had  when  He  gave  His  Son  to  die  for  the 
world.  I  used  to  think  a  good  deal  more  of  Christ  than  I  did 
of  the  Father.  Somehow  or  other  I  had  the  idea  that  God 
was  a  stern  judge;  that  Christ  came  between  me  and  God,  and 
appeased  the  anger  of  God.  But  after  I  became  a  father,  and 
for  years  had  an  only  son,  as  I  looked  at  my  boy  I  thought  of 
the  Father  giving  His  Son  to  die ;  and  it  seemed  to  me  aa  if  it 
required  more  love  for  the  Father  to  give  His  Son  than  for  the  ^ 
Son  to  die.  Oh,  the  love  that  God  must  have  had  for  the 
world  when  He  gave  His  Son  to  die  for  it!  "God  so  loved  the 
world,  that  He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  Him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life" 
(John  iii,  16).  I  have  never  been  able  to  preach  from  that 
text.  I  have  often  thought  I  would ;  but  it  is  so  high  that  I 
can  never  climb  to  its  height;  I  have  just  quoted  it  and 
passed  on.  Who  can  fathom  the  depth  of  those  words  :  "God 
h  so  loved  the  world?"  We  can  never  scale  the  heights  of  His 
•  love  or  fathom  its  depths.  Paul  prayed  that  he  might 
know  the  height,  the  depth,  the  length,  and  the  breadth,  of 
the  love  of  God;  but  it  was  past  his  finding  out.  It  '^passeth 
knowledge"  (Eph.  iii.  19). 

Nothing  speaks  to  us  of  the  love  of  God,  like  the  cross  of 
Christ.  Come  with  me  to  Calvary,  and  look  upon  the  Son  of 
God  as  He  hangs  there.  Can  you  hear  that  piercing  cry  from 
His  dying  lips  :  "Father,  forgive  them;  for  they  know  not 
what  they  do!"'  and  say  that  He  does  not  love  you?  "Greater 
love  hath  no  man  than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for 
his  friends"  (John  xv.  13).  But  Jesus  Christ  laid  down  His 
life  for  Iiis  enemies. 

Another  thought  is  this  :  He  loved  us  long  before  we  ever 
thought  of  Him,  The  idea  that  he  does  not  love  us  until  we 
first  love  Him  is  not  to  be  found  in  Scripture.  In  1  John  iv. 
10,  it  is  written  :  "Herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but 
that  He  loved  us,  and  sent  His  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for 


"L O  VE  THA  T  PA  SSETH  KNO  WLEDGE. "      15 

our  sins."  He  loved  us  before  we  ever  thought  of  loving  Him. 
You  loved  your  children  before  they  knew  anything  about 
your  love.  And  so,  long  before  we  ever  thought  of  God,  we 
were  in  His  thoughts. 

What  brought  the  prodigal  home?  It  was  the  thought 
that  his  father  loved  him.  Suppose  the  news  had  reached 
him  that  he  was  cast  off,  and  that  his  father  did  not  care  for 
him  anymore,  would  he  have  gone  back?  Never!  But  the 
thought  dawned  upon  him  that  his  father  loved  him  still :  so 
he  rose  up,  and  went  back  to  his  home.  Dear  reader,  the 
love  of  the  Father  ought  to  bring  us  back  to  Him.  It  was 
Adam's  calamity  and  sin  that  revealed  God's  love.  When 
Adam  fell  God  came  down  and  dealt  in  mercy  with  him.  If 
any  one  is  lost  it  Avill  not  be  because  God  does  not  love  him : 
it  will  be  because  he  has  resisted  the  love  of  God. 

What  will  make  Heaven  attractive?  Is  it  the  pearly  gates 
or  the  golden  streets?  No.  Heaven  will  be  attractive,  be- 
cause there  we  shall  behold  Him  who  loved  us  so  much  as  to 
give  His  only-begotten  Son  to  die  for  us.  What  makes  home 
attractive?  Is  it  the  beautiful  furniture  and  stately  rooms? 
No;  some  homes  with  all  these  are  like  whited  sepulchres.  In 
Brooklyn  a  mother  was  dying;  and  it  was  necessary  to  take 
her  child  from  her,  because  the  little  child  could  not  under- 
stand the  nature  of  the  sickness,  and  disturbed  her  mother 
Every  night  the  child  sobbed  herself  to  sleep  in  a  neighbor's 
house,  because  she  wanted  to  go  back  to  her  mother's;  but 
the  mother  grew  worse,  and  they  could  not  take  the  child 
home.  At  last  the  mother  died ;  and  after  her  death  they 
thought  it  best  not  to  let  the  child  see  her  dead  mother  in  her 
cofBn.  After  the  burial  the  child  ran  into  one  room  crying 
"Mamma!  mamma!"  and  then  into  another  crying  "Mamma! 
mamma!"  and  so  went  over  the  whole  house:  and  when  the 
little  creature  failed  to  find  that  loved  one  she  cried  to  be  taken 


16  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

back  to  the  neighbors.  So  what  makes  heaven  attractive  is 
the  thought  that  we  shall  see  Christ  who  has  loved  us  and 
given  Himself  for  us. 

If  you  ask  me  why  God  should  love  us,  I  cannot  tell.  I 
suppose  it  is  because  He  is  a  true  Father.  It  is  His  nature  to 
love;  just  as  it  is  the  nature  of  the  sun  to  shine.  He  wants 
you  to  share  in  that  love.  Do  not  let  unbelief  keep  you  away 
from  Him.  Do  not  think  that,  because  you  are  a  sinner,  God 
does  not  love  you,  or  care  for  you.  He  does !  He  wants  to 
save  you  and  bless  you. 

"When  we  were  yet  without  strength,  in  due  time  Christ 
died  for  the  ungodly"  (Kom.  v.  6).  Is  that  not  enough  to  con- 
vince you  that  He  loves  you?  He  would  not  have  died  for  you 
if  He  had  not  loved  you.  Is  your  heart  so  hard  that  you  can 
brace  yourself  up  against  His  love,  and  spurn  and  despise  it? 
You  can  do  it ;  but  it  will  be  at  your  peril. 

I  can  imagine  some  saying  to  themselves,  "Yes,  we  be- 
lieve that  God  loves  us,  if  we  love  Him ;  we  believe  that  God 
loves  the  pure  and  the  holy."  Let  me  say,  my  friend,  not 
only  does  God  love  the  pure  and  the  holy  :  He  also  loves  the 
ungodly.  "God  commendeth  His  love  toward  us,  in  that, 
while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us"  (Rom.  v.  8).  God 
sent  him  to  die  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.  If  you  belong 
to  the  world,  then  you  have  part  and  lot  in  this  love  that  has 
been  exhibited  in  the  cross  of  Christ. 

There  is  a  passage  in  Revelation  (i.  o.)  which  I  think  a 
great  deal  of — "Unto  Him  that  loved  us,  and  washed  us." 
It  might  be  thought  that  God  would  first  wash  us,  and  then 
love  us.  But  no,  He  first  loved  us.  About  eight  years  ago 
the  whole  country  was  intensely  excited  about  Charlie  Ross,  a 
child  of  four  years  old,  who  was  stolen.  Two  men  in  a  gig 
asked  him  and  an  elder  brother  if  they  wanted  some  candy. 
They  then  drove  away  vsdth  the  younger  boy,  leaving  the  elder 


"LOVE  THAT  PASSETH  KNOWLEDGE.''  17 

one.  For  many  years  a  search  has  been  made  in  every  State 
and  territory.  Men  have  been  over  to  Great  Britain,  France, 
and  Germany,  and  have  hunted  in  vain  for  the  child.  The 
mother  still  hves  in  the  hope  that  she  will  see  her  long  lost 
Charlie.  I  never  remember  the  whole  country  to  have  been 
so  much  agitated  about  any  event  unless  it  was  the  assassin- 
ation of  President  Garfield.  Well,  suppose  the  mother  of 
Charlie  Ross  were  in  some  meeting;  and  that  while  the 
preacher  was  speaking,  she  happened  to  look  down  amongst 
the  audience  and  see  her  long  lost  son.  Suppose  that  he  was 
poor,  dirty  and  ragged,  shoeless  and  coatless,  what  would  she 
do  ?  Would  she  wait  till  he  was  washed  and  decently  clothed 
before  she  would  acknowledge  him?  No,  she  would  get  off 
the  platform  at  once,  rush  towards  him  and  take  him  in  her 
arms.  After  that  she  would  cleanse  and  clothe  him.  So  it  is 
with  God.  He  loved  us,  and  washed  us.  I  can  imagine  one 
saying,  "If  God  loves  me,  why  does  He  not  make  me  good?" 
God  wants  sons  and  daughters  in  heaven;  He  does  not  want 
machines  or  slaves.  He  could  break  our  stubborn  hearts,  but 
He  wants  to  draw  us  towards  Himself  by  the  cords  of  love. 

He  wanted  you  to  sit  down  with  Him  at  the  marriage  sup- 
per of  the  Lamb;  to  wash  you,  and  make  you  whiter  than 
snow.  He  wants  you  to  walk  with  Him  the  crystal  pavement 
of  yonder  blissful  world.  He  v;ants  to  adopt  you  into  His 
family;  and  to  make  you  a  son  or  a  daughter  of  heaven.  Will 
you  trample  His  love  under  your  feet?  or  will  you,  this  hour, 
give  yourself  to  Him? 

When  our  terrible  civil  war  was  going  on,  a  mother  re- 
ceived the  news  that  her  boy  had  been  wounded  in  the  battle 
of  the  Wilderness.  She  took  the  first  train,  and  started  for 
her  boy,  although  the  order  had  gone  forth  from  the  War 
Department  that  no  more  women  should  be  admitted  within 
tfee  lines.     But  a  mother's  love  knows  nothing  about  orders; 


18  THE  WAY  TO  OOD. 


so  she  managed  by  tears  and  entreaties  to  get  through  the 
lines  to  the  Wilderness.  At  last  she  found  the  hospital  where 
her  boy  was.  Then  she  went  to  the  doctor  and  she  said : 
•'  Will  you  let  me  go  to  the  ward  jind  nurse  my  boy?" 

The  doctor  said:  "  I  have  just  got  your  boy  to  sleep;  he 
is  in  a  very  critical  state ;  and  I  am  afraid  if  you  wake  him  up 
the  excitement  will  be  so  great  that  it  will  carry  him  off.  You 
had  better  wait  awhile,  and  remain  without  until  I  tell  him 
that  you  have  come,  and  break  the  news  gradually  to  him." 
The  mother  looked  into  the  doctor's  face  and  said :  "  Doctor, 
supposing  my  boy  does  not  wake  up,  and  I  should  never  see 
him  alive!  Let  me  go  and  sit  down  by  his  side;  I  won't 
speak  to  him."  "  If  you  will  not  speak  to  him  you  may 
do  so,"  said  the  doctor. 

She  crept  to  the  cot  and  looked  into  the  face  of  her  boy. 
How  she  had  longed  to  look  at  him !  How  her  eyes  seemed 
to  be  feasting  as  she  gazed  upon  his  countenance!  When  she 
got  near  enough  she  could  not  keep  her  hands  off;  she  laid 
that  tender,  loving  hand  upon  his  brow.  The  moment  the 
hand  touched  the  forehead  of  her  boy,  he,  without  opening 
his  eyes,  cried  out:  "Mother,  you  have  come!"  He  knew 
the  touch  of  that  loving  hand.  There  was  love  and  sympathy 
in  it. 

Ah,  sinner,  if  you  feel  the  loving  touch  of  Jesus  you  will 
recognize  it;  it  is  so  full  of  tenderness.  The  world  may  treat 
you  unkindly ;  but  Christ  never  will.  You  will  never  have  a 
better  Friend  in  this  world.  What  you  need  is — to  come  to- 
day to  Him.  Let  His  loving  arm  be  underneath  you;  let  His 
loving  hand  be  about  j^ou ;  and  He  will  hold  you  with  mighty 
power.  He  will  keep  you,  and  fill  that  heart  of  yours  with 
His  tenderness  and  love. 

I  can  imagine  some  of  you  saying,  "  How  shall  I  go  to 
Him?"     Why,  just  as  you  would  go  to  your  mother.     Have 


"LOVE  THAT  PASSETH  KNOWLEDGE."  19 

you  done  your  mother  a  great  injury  and  a  great  wrong?  If 
so,  you  go  to  her  and  you  say,  *'  Mother,  I  want  you  to  for- 
give me."  Treat  Christ  in  the  same  way.  Go  to  Him  to-day 
and  tell  Him  that  you  have  not  loved  Him,  that  you  have  not 
treated  Him  right ;  confess  you  sins,  and  see  how  quickly  He 
will  bless  you. 

I  am  reminded  of  another  incident — that  of  a  hoy  who 
had  been  tried  by  court-martial  and  ordered  to  be  shot.  The 
hearts  of  the  father  and  mother  were  broken  when  they  heard 
the  news.  In  that  home  was  a  little  girl.  She  had  read  the 
life  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  she  said:  "Now,  if  Abraham 
Lincoln  knew  how  my  father  and  mother  loved  their  boy,  he 
would  not  let  my  brother  be  shot."  She  wanted  her  father  to 
go  to  Washington  to  plead  for  his  boy.  But  the  father  said : 
"No;  there  is  no  use;  the  law  must  take  its  course.  They 
have  refused  to  pardon  one  or  two  who  have  been  sentenced 
by  that  court-martial,  and  an  order  has  gone  forth  that  the 
President  is  not  going  to  interfere  again ;  if  a  man  has  been 
sentenced  by  court-martial  he  must  suffer  the  consequences." 
That  father  and  mother  had  not  faith  to  believe  that  their  boy 
might  be  pardoned. 

But  the  little  girl  was  strong  in  hope;  she  got  on  the  train 
away  up  in  Vermont,  and  started  off  to  Washington.  When 
she  reached  the  White  House  the  soldiers  refused  to  let  her  in; 
but  she  told  her  pitiful  story,  and  they  allowed  her  to  pass. 
When  she  got  to  the  Secretary's  room,  where  the  President's 
private  secretary  was,  he  refused  to  allow  her  to  enter  the 
private  office  of  the  President.  But  the  little  girl  told  her 
story,  and  it  touched  the  heart  of  the  private  secretary;  so  he 
passed  her  in.  As  she  went  into  Abraham  Lincoln's  room, 
there  were  United  States  senators,  generals,  governors  and 
leading  politicians,  who  were  there  about  important  business 
ftbout  the  war;  but  the  President  happened  to  see  that  child 


20  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

standing  at  his  door.  He  wanted  to  know  what  she  wanted, 
and  she  went  right  to  him  and  told  her  story  in  her  own  lan- 
guage. He  was  a  father,  and  the  great  tears  trickled  down 
Abraham  Lincoln's  cheeks.  He  wrote  a  dispatch  and  sent  it 
to  the  army  to  have  that  boy  sent  to  Washington  at  once. 
When  he  arrived,  the  President  pardoned  him,  gave  him  thirty 
days'  furlough,  and  sent  him  home  with  the  little  girl  to  cheer 
the  hearts  of  the  father  and  mother. 

Do  you  want  to  know  how  to  go  to  Christ?  Go  just  as 
that  little  girl  went  to  Abraham  Lincoln.  It  may  be  possible 
that  you  have  a  dark  story  to  tell.  Tell  it  all  out ;  keep  noth- 
ing back.  If  Abraham  Lincoln  had  compassion  on  that  little 
girl,  heard  her  petition  and  ansvrered  it,  do  you  think  the 
Lord  Jesus  will  not  hear  your  prayer?  Do  you  think  that 
Abraham  Lincoln,  or  any  man  that  ever  lived  on  earth,  had 
as  much  compassion  as  Christ?  No!  He  will  be  touched  when 
no  one  else  will ;  He  will  have  mercy  when  no  one  else  will ; 
He  will  have  pity  when  no  one  else  will.  If  you  will  go  right 
to  Him,  confessing  your  sin  and  your  need.  He  will  save  you. 

A  few  years  ago  a  man  left  England  and  went  to  America. 
He  was  an  Englishman ;  but  he  was  naturalized,  and  so  be- 
came an  American  citizen.  After  a  few  years  he  felt  restless 
and  dissatisfied,  and  went  to  Cuba;  and  after  he  had  been  in 
Cuba  a  little  while  civil  war  broke  out  there;  it  was  in  1867; 
and  this  man  was  arrested  by  the  Spanish  government  as  a 
spy.  He  was  tried  by  court-martial,  found  guilty  and  ordered 
to  be  shot.  The  whole  trial  was  conducted  in  the  Spanish 
language,  and  the  poor  man  did  not  know  what  was  going  on. 
When  they~told  him  the  verdict,  that  he  was  found  guilty  and 
had  been  condemned  to  be  shot,  he  sent  to  the  American  Con- 
sul and  the  English  Consul,  and  laid  the  whole  case  before 
them,  proving  his  innocence  and  claiming  protection.  They 
examined  the  case,  and  found  that  this  man  whom  the  Span- 


^LOVE  THAT  PASSETH  KNOWLEDGE."  21 

ish  officers  had  condemned  to  be  shot  was  perfectly  innocent ; 
they  went  to  the  Spanish  General  and  said,  "Look here,  this 
man  whom  you  have  condemned  to  death  is  an  innocent  man ; 
he  is  not  guilty."  But  the  Spanish  General  said,  '•  He  has 
been  tried  by  our  law;  he  has  been  found  guilty;  he  must 
die."  There  was  no  electric  cable;  and  these  men  could  not 
consult  with  their  governments. 

The  morning  came  on  which  the  man  was  to  be  executed. 
He  was  brought  out  sitting  on  hig  coffin  in  a  cart,  and  drawn 
to  the  place  where  he  was  to  be  executed.  A  grave  was  dug. 
They  took  the  coffin  out  of  the  cart,  placed  the  young,  man 
upon  it,  took  the  black  cap,  and  were  just  pulling  it  down  over 
his  face.  The  Spanish  soldiers  awaited  the  order  to  fire.  But 
just  then  the  American  and  English  Consuls  rode  up.  The 
English  Consul  sprang  out  of  the  carriage  and  took  the  union 
jack,  the  British  flag,  and  wrapped  it  around  the  man,  and  the 
American  Consul  wrapped  around  him  the  star-spangled  ban- 
ner, and  then  turning  to  the  Spanish  officers  they  said:  "Fire 
upon  those  flags,  if  you  dare. "  They  did  not  dare  to  fire  upon 
the  flags.  There  were  two  great  governments  behind  those 
flags.     That  was  the  secret  of  it. 

"He  brought  me  to  the  banqueting  house,  and  His  banner 
over  me  was  love.  .  .  .  His  left  hand  is  under  my  head 
and  His  right  hand  doth  embrace  me"  (Song  Sol.  ii.  4,  6). 
Thank  God  we  can  come  under  the  banner  to-day  if  we  will. 
Any  poor  sinner  can  come  under  that  banner  to-day.  His 
banner  of  love  is  over  us.  Blessed  Gospel;  blessed,  precious, 
news.  Believe  it  to-day;  receive  it  into  your  heart;  and  enter 
into  a  new  life.  Let  the  love  of  God  be  shed  abroad  in  your 
heart  by  the  Holy  Ghost  to-day:  it  will  drive  away  darkness; 
it  will  drive  away  gloom;  it  will  drive  away  sin;  and  peace 
and  joy  shall  be  yours. 


!22  THE  V^At  TO  GOl>. 


CHAPTER  II. 
THE  GATEWAY  INTO  THE  KINGDOM. 

"  Except  a  man  be  bom  again  he  cannot  enter  the  kingdom  of  God." 

(John  iii.  3.) 

There  is  no  portion  of  the  Word  of  God,  perhaps,  with 
which  we  are  more  famihar  than  this  passage.  I  suppose  if  I 
were  to  ask  those  in  any  audience  if  they  beheved  that  Jesus 
Christ  taught  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Birth,  nine  tenths  of 
them  would  say:   "Yes,  I  beHeve  He  did." 

Now  if  the  words  of  this  text  are  true  they  embody  one  of 
the  most  solemn  questions  that  can  come  before  us.  We  can 
afford  to  be  deceived  about  many  things  rather  than  about 
this  one  thing.  Christ  makes  it  very  plain.  He  says,  "Ex- 
cept a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the  Kingdom  of  God" 
— much  less  inherit  it.  This  doctrine  of  the  New  Birth  is 
therefore  the  foundation  of  all  our  hopes  for  the  world  to  come. 
It  is  really  the  A  B  C  of  the  Christian  religion.  My  experi- 
ence has  been  this — that  if  a  man  is  unsound  on  this  doctrine 
he  will  be  unsound  on  almost  every  other  fundamental  doc- 
trine in  the  Bible.  A  true  understanding  of  this  subject  will 
help  a  man  to  solve  a  thousand  difficulties  that  he  may  meet 
with  in  the  Word  of  God.  Things  that  before  seemed  very 
dark  and  mysterious  will  become  very  plain. 

The  doctrine  of  the  New  Birth  upsets  all  false  religion — 
all  false  views  about  the  Bible  and  about  God.  A  friend  of 
mine  once  told  me  that  in  one  of  his  after-meetings,  a  man 
came  to  him  with  a  long  list  of  questions  written  out  for  him 
io  dusker.     He  said :  '•  If  you  can  answer  these  questions  sat- 


'THE  GATEWAY  INTO  THE  KINGDOM.  ^3 

isfactorily,  I  have  made  up  my  mind  to  be  a  Christian."  '*  Do 
you  not  think,"  said  my  friend,  "  that  you  hau  better  come  to 
Christ  first?  Then  you  can  look  into  these  questions."  The 
man  thought  that  perhaps  he  had  better  do  so.  After  he  had 
received  Christ,  he  looked  again  at  his  list  of  questions;  but 
then  it  seemed  to  him  as  if  they  had  all  been  answered.  Nico- 
demus  came  with  his  troubled  mind,  and  Christ  said  to  him, 
'•  Ye  must  be  born  again."  He  was  treated  altogether  differ- 
ently from  what  he  expected ;  but  I  venture  to  say  that  was 
the  most  blessed  night  in  all  his  life.  To  be  "born  again"  is 
the  greatest  blessing  that  will  ever  come  to  us  in  this  world. 

Notice  how  the  Scripture  puts  it.  *'  Except  a  man  be  born 
again,"  "  born  from  above,"*  "  born  of  the  Spirit."  From 
amongst  a  number  of  other  passages  where  we  find  this  word 
"EXCEPT,"  I  would  just  name  three.  "  Except  ye  repent,  ye 
shall  all  likewise  perish."  (Luke  xiii.  3,  5.)  "Except  ye  be 
converted,  and  become  as  little  children,  ye  shall  not  enter  in- 
to the  kingdom  of  heaven."  (Matt,  xviii.  8.)  "  Except  your 
righteousness  shall  exceed  the  righteousness  of  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees,  ye  shall  in  no  case  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven."  (Matt.  v.  20.)  They  all  really  mean  the  same 
thing. 

I  am  so  thankful  that  our  Lord  spoke  of  the  New  Birth  to 
this  ruler  of  the  Jews,  this  doctor  of  the  law,  rather  than  to 
the  woman  at  the  well  of  Samaria,  or  to  Matthew  the  publican, 
or  to  Zaccheus.  If  He  had  reserved  his  teaching  on  this  great 
matter  for  these  three,  or  such  as  these,  peoj)le  would  have 
said:  "  Oh  yes,  these  publicans  and  harlots  need  to  be  con- 
verted :  but  I  am  an  upright  man ;  I  do  not'  need  to  be  con- 
verted." I  suppose  Nicodemus  was  one  of  the  best  specimens 
of  the  people  of  Jerusalem :  there  was  nothing  on  record 
against  him. 


*John  iii.  3.    Marginal  reading. 


24  THE  WAf  TO  GOB. 

I  think  it  is  scarcely  necessary  for  me  to  prove  that  we 
need  to  be  born  again  before  we  are  meet  for  heaven.  I  ven- 
ture to  say  that  there  is  no  candid  man  but  would  say  he  is 
not  fit  for  the  kingdom  of  God,  until  he  is  born  of  another 
Spirit.  The  Bible  teaches  us  that  man  by  nature  is  lost  and 
guilty,  and  our  experience  confirms  this.  We  know  also  that 
the  best  and  holiest  man,  if  he  turn  away  from  God,  will  very 
soon  fall  into  sin. 

Now,  let  mo  say  what  Eegeneration  is  not.  It  is  not  go- 
ing to  church.  Very  often  I  see  people,  and  ask  them  if  they 
are  Christians.  '*  Yes,  of  course  I  am;  at  least,  I  think  lam: 
I  go  to  church  every  Sunday."  Ah,  but  this  is  not  Regenera- 
tion. Others  say,  '*I  am  trying  to  do  what  is  right — am  I 
not  a  Christian?  Is  not  that  a  new  birth?"  No.  "What  has 
that  to  do  with  being  born  again?  There  is  yet  another  class 
— those  who  have  "  turned  over  a  new  leaf,"  and  think  they 
are  regenerated.  No ;  forming  a  new  resolution  is  not  being 
born  again. 

Nor  will  being  baptized  do  you  any  good.  Yet  you  hear 
people  say,  "  Why,  I  have  been  baptized;  and  1  was  born  again 
when  I  was  baptized."  They  believe  that  because  they  were 
baptized  into  the  church,  they  were  baptized  into  the  Kingdom 
of  God.  I  tell  you  that  it  is  utterly  impossible.  You  may  be 
baptized  into  the  church,  and  yet  not  be  baptized  into  the  Son 
of  God.  Baptism  is  all  right  in  its  place.  God  forbid  that  I 
should  say  anything  against  it.  But  if  you  put  that  in  the 
place  of  Regeneration — in  the  place  of  the  New  Birth — it  is  a 
terrible  mistake.  You  cannot  be  baptized  into  the  Kingdom  of 
God.  "  Except  a  man  be  bokn  again,  he  cannot  see  the  King- 
dom of  God."  If  any  one  reading  this  rests  his  hopes  on  any- 
thing else — on  any  other  foundation — I  pray  that  God  may 
sweep  it  away. 


!tHE  GATEWAY  INTO  THE  KINGDOM.  ^5 

Another  class  say,  "  I  go  to  the  Lord's  Supper;  I  partake 
uniformly  of  the  Sacrament."  Blessed  ordinance!  Jesus 
hath  said  that  as  often  as  ye  do  it  ye  commemorate  His  death. 
Yet,  that  is  not  being  ''  born  again;"  that  is  not  passing  from 
death  unto  life.  Jesus  says  plainly — and  so  plainly  that  there 
need  not  be  any  mistake  about  it — '*  Except  a  man  be  born  of 
the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of  God."  What 
has  a  sacrament  to  do  with  that?  What  has  going  to  church 
to  do  with  being  born  again  ? 

Another  man  comes  up  and  says,  "  I  say  my  prayers  reg- 
ularly." Still  I  say  that  is  not  being  born  of  the  Spirit.  It  is 
a  very  solemn  question,  then,  that  comes  up  before  us ;  and  oh  I 
that  every  reader  would  ask  himself  earnestly  and  faithfully: 
"  Have  I  been  born  again?  Have  I  been  born  of  the  Spirit? 
Have  I  passed  from  death  unto  life?" 

There  is  a  class  of  men  who  say  that  special  religious 
meetings  are  very  good  for  a  certain  class  of  people.  They 
would  be  very  good  if  you  could  get  the  drunkard  there,  or  get 
the  gambler  there,  or  get  other  vicious  people  there — that 
would  do  a  great  deal  of  good.  But  "we  do  not  need  to  bo 
converted."  To  whom  did  Christ  utter  these  words  of  wis- 
dom? To  Nicodemus.  Who  was  Nicodemus?  Was  he  a 
diuniiard,  a  gambler,  or  a  thief?  No!  No  doubt  he  was  one 
of  the  very  best  men  in  Jerusalem.  He  was  an  honorable 
Councillor;  he  belonged  to  the  Sanhedrim;  he  held  a  very 
high  position ;  he  was  an  orthodox  man ;  he  was  one  of  the 
very  soundest  men.  And  yet  what  did  Christ  say  to  him? 
"  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of 
God." 

But  I  can  imagine  some  one  saying,  *'  What  am  I  to  do? 
I  cannot  create  life.  I  certainly  cannot  save  myself."  You 
certainly  cannot ;  and  we  do  not  claim  that  you  can.  We  tell 
you  it  is  utterly  impossible   to   make  a^  man  better  without 


^6  ^HS  WAt  TO  GOl). 

Christ;  but  that  is  what  men  are  trying  to  do.  They  are  try- 
ing to  patch  up  this  *'  old  Adam"  nature.  There  must  be  a 
NEW  CREATION.  Kegeneration  is  a  new  creation;  and  if  it  is  a 
new  creation  it  must  be  the  work  of  God.  In  the  first  chapter 
of  Genesis  man  does  not  appear.  There  is  no  one  there  but 
God.  Man  is  not  there  to  take  part.  When  God  created  the 
earth  He  was  alone.  When  Christ  redeemed  the  world  He  was 
alone. 

"  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh;  and  that  which 
is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit."  (John  iii.  6.)  The  Ethiopian 
cannot  change  his  skin,  and  the  leopard  cannot  change  his 
spots.  You  might  as  well  try  to  make  yourselves  pure  and 
holy  without  the  help  of  God.  It  would  be  just  as  easy  for 
you  to  do  that  as  for  the  black  man  to  wash  himself  white.  A 
man  might  just  as  well  try  to  leap  over  the  moon  as  to  serve 
God  in  the  flesh.  Therefore,  ''  that  which  is  born  of  the  flesh 
is  flesh;  and  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit." 

Now  God  tells  us  in  this  chapter  how  we  are  to  get  into 
His  kingdom.  We  are  not  to  work  our  way  in — not  but  that 
salvation  is  worth  working  for.  We  admit  all  that.  If  there 
were  rivers  and  mountains  in  the  way,  it  would  be  well  worth 
while  to  swim  those  rivers,  and  climb  those  mountains.  There 
is  no  doubt  that  salvation  is  worth  all  that  effort;  but  we  do 
not  obtain  it  by  our  works.  It  is  "  to  him  that  worketh  not, 
but  believeth  "  (Rom.  iv.  5).  We  work  because  we  are  saved; 
we  do  not  work  to  be  saved.  We  work  from  the  cross ;  but 
not  towards  it.  It  is  written,  '•  Work  out  your  own  salvation 
with  fear  and  trembling"  (Phil.  ii.  12).  Why,  you  must 
have  your  salvation  before  you  can  work  it  out.  Suppose  I 
say  to  my  little  boy,  '*  I  want  you  to  spend  that  hundred  dol- 
lars carefully."  "  Well,"  he  gays,  *'  let  me  have  the  hundred 
dollars;  and  I  will  be  careful  how  I  spend  it."  I  remember 
when  I  first  left  home  and  went  to  Boston ;  I  had  spent  all  my 


TB^  OAfEWAY  INTO  THE  KINGDOM.  2? 

money,  and  I  went  to  the  post-office  three  times  a  day.  I 
knew  there  was  only  one  mail  a  day  from  home ;  but  I  thought 
by  some  possibihty  there  might  be  a  letter  for  me.  At  last  I 
received  a  letter  from  my  little  sister;  and  oh,  how  glad  I  was 
to  get  it.  She  had  heard  that  there  were  a  great  many  pick- 
pockets in  Boston,  and  a  large  part  of  that  letter  was  to  urge 
me  to  be  very  careful  not  to  let  anybody  pick  my  pocket.  Now 
I  required  to  have  something  in  my  pocket  before  I  could 
have  it  picked.  So  you  must  have  salvation  before  you  can 
work  it  out. 

When  Christ  cried  out  on  Calvary,  "It  is  finished!"  He 
meant  what  He  said.  All  that  men  have  to  do  now  is  just  to 
accept  of  the  work  of  Jesus  Christ.  There  is  no  hope  for  man 
or  woman  so  long  as  they  are  trying  to  work  out  salvation  for 
themselves.  I  can  imagine  there  are  some  people  who  will 
say,  as  Nicodemus  possibly  did,  "This  is  a  very  mysterious 
thing."  I  see  the  scov^^l  on  that  Pharisee's  brow  as  he  says, 
"How  can  these  things  be?"  It  sounds  very  strange  to  his 
ear.  "Born  again;  born  of  the  Spirit!  How  can  these  things 
be?"  A  great  many  people  say,  "You  must  reason  it  out;  but 
if  you  do  not  reason  it  out,  do  not  ask  us  to  believe  it."  I  can 
imagine  a  great  many  people  saying  that.  When  you  ask  me 
to  reason  it  out,  I  tell  you  frankly  I  cannot  do  it.  "The 
wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth,  and  thou  hearest  the  sound 
thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh  and  whither  it 
goeth  :  so  is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit. "  (John  iii. 
8.)  I  do  not  understand  everything  about  the  wind.  You 
ask  me  to  reason  it  out.  I  cannot.  It  may  blow  due  north 
here,  and  a  hundred  miles  away  due  south.  I  may  go  up  a 
few  hundred  feet,  and  find  it  blowing  in  an  entirely  opposite 
direction  from  what  it  is  down  here.  You  ask  me  to  explain 
these  currents  of  wind;  but  suppose  that,  because  I  cannot 
explain  them,  and  do  not  understand  them,  I  were  to  take  my 


^2^  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

stand  and  assert,  "Ob,  there  is  no  such  thing  as  wind.'.*  I 
can  imagine  some  Httle  girl  saying,  "I  know  more  about  it 
than  that  man  does;  often  have  I  heard  the  wind,  and  felt  it 
blowing  against  my  face;"  and  she  might  say,  "Did  not  the 
wind  blow  my  umbrella  out  of  my  hands  the  other  day?  and 
did  I  not  see  it  blow  a  man's  hat  off  in  the  street?  Have  I 
not  seen  it  blow  the  trees  in  the  forest,  and  the  growing  corn 
in  the  country?" 

You  might  just  as  well  tell  me  that  there  is  no  such 
thing  as  wind,  as  tell  me  there  is  no  such  thing  as  a  man 
being  born  of  the  Spirit.  I  have  felt  the  spirit  of  God  working 
in  my  heart,  just  as  really  and  as  truly  as  I  have  felt  the  wind 
blowing  in  m^y  face.  I  cannot  reason  it  out.  There  are  a  great 
many  things  I  cannot  reason  out,  but  which  I  believe.  I 
never  could  reason  out  the  creation.  I  can  see  the  world,  but 
I  cannot  tell  how  God  made  it  out  of  nothing.  But  almost 
every  man  will  admit  there  was  a  creative  power. 

There  are  a  great  many  things  that  I  cannot  explain  and 
cannot  reason  out,  and  yet  that  I  believe.  I  heard  a  commer- 
cial traveler  say  that  he  had  heard  that  the  ministry  and 
religion  of  Jesus  Christ  were  matters  of  revelation  and  not  of 
investigation.  "When  it  pleased  God  to  reveal  His  Son  in 
Me,"  says  Paul  (Gal.  i,  15,  16).  There  was  a  party  of  young 
men  together,  going  up  the  country;  and  on  their  journey 
they  made  up  their  minds  not  to  believe  anything  they  could 
not  reason  out.  An  old  man  heard  them ;  and  presently  he 
said,  "I  heard  you  say  you  would  not  believe  anything  you 
could  not  reason  out,"  "Yes,"  they  said,  "that  is  so." 
"Well,"  he  said,  "coming  down  on  the  train  to-day,  I  noticed 
some  geese,  some  sheep,  some  swine,  and  some  cattle  all 
eating  grass.  Can  you  tell  me  by  what  process  that  same 
grass  was  turned  into  hair,  feathers,  bristles  and  wool?  Do 
you  beheve  it  is  a  fact?"     "Oh  yes,"  they  said,  "we  cannot 


THE  GATEWAY  INTO  THE  KINGDOM.  29 

help  believing  that,  though  we  fail  to  understand  it."  "Well," 
said  the  old  man,  "I  cannot  help  believing  in  Jesus  Christ." 
And  I  cannot  help  believing  in  the  regeneration  of  man,  when 
I  see  men  who  have  been  reclaimed,  when  I  see  men  who  have 
been  reformed.  Have  not  some  of  the  very  worst  men  been 
regenerated — been  picked  up  out  of  the  pit,  and  had  their  feet 
set  upon  the  Eock,  and  a  new  song  put  in  their  mouths? 
Their  tongues  were  cursing  and  blaspheming;  and  now  are 
occupied  in  praising  God.  Old  things  have  passed  away,  and 
all  things  have  become  new.  They  are  not  reformed  only,  but 
REGENERATED — ncw  mcu  in  Clirist  Jesus. 

Down  there  in  the  dark  alleys  of  one  of  our  great  cities  is 
a  poor  drunkard.  I  think  if  you  want  to  get  near  hell,  you 
should  go  to  a  poor  drunkard's  home.  Go  to  the  house  of  that 
poor  miserable  drunkard.  Is  there  anything  more  like  hell  on 
earth?  See  the  want  and  distress  that  reign  there.  But 
hark !  A  footstep  is  heard  at  the  door,  and  the  children  run 
and  hide  themselves.  The  patient  wife  waits  to  meet  the 
man.  He  has  been  her  torment.  Many  a  time  she  has  borne 
about  the  marks  of  his  blows  for  weeks.  Many  a  time  that 
strong  right  hand  has  been  brought  down  on  her  defenseless 
head.  And  now  she  waits  expecting  to  hear  his  oaths  and 
suffer  his  brutal  treatment.  He  comes  in  and  says  to  her:  "I 
have  been  to  the  meeting ;  and  I  heard  there  that  if  I  will  I 
can  be  converted.  I  believe  that  God  is  able  to  save  me." 
Go  down  to  that  house  again  in  a  few  weeks:  and  what  a 
change !  As  you  approach  you  hear  some  one  singing.  It  is 
not  the  song  of  a  reveller,  but  the  strains  of  that  good  old 
hymn,  "Kock  of  Ages."  The  children  are  no  longer  afraid  of 
the  man,  but  cluster  around  his  knee.  His  wife  is  near  him, 
her  face  lit  up  with  a  happy  glow.  Is  not  that  a  picture  of 
Eegeneration ?  I  can  take  you  to  many  such  homes,  made 
happy  by  the  regenerating  power  of  the  religion  of  Christ. 


30  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

What  men  want  is  the  power  to  overcome  temptation,  the 
power  to  lead  a  right  life. 

The  only  way  to  get  into  the  kingdom  of  God  is  to  be 
"born"  into  it.  The  law  of  this  country  requires  that  the 
President  should  be  born  in  the  country.  "When  foreigners 
come  to  our  shores  they  have  no  right  to  complain  against 
such  a  law,  which  forbids  them  from  ever  becoming  Presidents. 
Now,  has  not  God  a  right  to  make  a  law  that  all  those  who 
become  heirs  of  eternal  life  must  be  **  born  "  into  His  king- 
dom? 

An  unregenerated  man  would  rather  be  in  hell  than  in 
heaven.  Take  a  man  v/hose  heart  is  full  of  corruption  and 
wickedness,  and  place  him  in  heaven  among  the  pure,  the  holy 
and  the  redeemed;  and  he  would  not  want  to  stay  there.  Cer- 
tainly, if  we  are  to  be  happy  in  heaven  we  must  begin  to  make 
a  heaven  here  on  earth.  Heaven  is  a  prepared  place  for  a 
prepared  people.  If  a  gambler  or  a  blasphemer  were  taken 
out  of  the  streets  of  New  York  and  placed  on  the  crystal  pave- 
ment of  heaven  and  under  the  shadow  of  the  tree  of  life,  he 
would  say,  "  I  do  not  want  to  stay  here."  If  men  were  taken 
to  heaven  just  as  they  are  by  nature,  without  having  their 
hearts  regenerated,  there  would  be  another  rebellion  in  heaven. 
Heaven  is  filled  with  a  company  of  those  who  have  been  twice 

BORN. 

In  the  14th  and  15th  verses  of  this  chapter  we  read  "  As 
Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even  so  must 
the  Son  of  Man  be  lifted  up ;  that  whosoever  believeth  in  Him 
should  not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life."  •♦"WEOSOEVER." 
Mark  that!  Let  me  tell  you  who  are  unsaved  what  God  has 
done  for  you.  He  has  done  everything  that  He  could  do  to- 
ward your  salvation.  You  need  not  wait  for  God  to  do  any- 
thing more.  In  one  place  he  asks  the  question,  what  more 
could  he  have  done  (Isaiah  v.  4).     He  sent  His  prophets,  and 


THE  GATEWAY  INTO  THE  KINGDOM.  31 

they  killed  them;  then  He  sent  His  beloved  Son,  and  they 
murdered  Him.  Now  He  has  sent  the  Holy  Spirit  to  con- 
vince us  of  sin,  and  to  show  how  we  are  to  be  saved. 

In  this  chapter  we  are  told  how  men  are  to  be  saved, 
namely,  by  Him  who  was  lifted  up  on  the  cross.  Just  as 
Moses  lifted  up  the  brazen  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  so  must 
the  Son  of  Man  be  lifted  up,  ♦'  that  whosoever  believeth  in  Him 
should  not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life."  Some  men  com- 
plain and  say  that  it  is  very  unreasonable  that  they  should  be 
held  responsible  for  the  ein  of  a  man  six  thousand  years  ago. 
It  was  not  long  ago  that  a  man  was  talking  to  me  about 
this  injustice,  as  he  called  it.  If  a  man  thinks  he  is  going 
to  answer  God  in  that  way,  I  tell  you  it  v/ill  not  do  him  any 
good.     If  you  are  lost,  it  will  not  be  on  account  of  Adam's  sin. 

Let  me  illustrate  this;  and  perhaps  you  will  be  better  able 
to  understand  it.  Suppose  I  am  dying  of  consumption,  which 
I  inherited  from  my  father  or  mother.  I  did  not  get  the  dis- 
ease by  any  fault  of  my  own,  by  any  neglect  of  my  health;  I 
inherited  it,  let  us  suppose.  A  friend  happens  to  come  along: 
he  looks  at  me,  and  says:  "  Moody,  you  are  in  a  consump- 
tion." I  reply,  "  I  know  it  very  well;  I  do  not  want  any  one 
to  tell  me  that."  "  But,"  he  says,  *'  there  is  a  remedy." 
'*  But,  sir,  I  do  not  believe  it.  I  have  tried  the  leading 
physicians  in  this  country  and  in  Europe;  and  they  tell  me 
there  is  no  hope."  "But  you  know  me.  Moody;  you  have 
known  me  for  years."  ♦'  Yes,  sir."  "  Do  you  think,  then,  I 
would  tell  you  a  falsehood?"  "  No."  *'  Well,  ten  years  ago 
I  was  as  far  gone.  I  was  given  up  by  the  physicians  to  die; 
but  I  took  this  medicine  and  it  cured  me.  I  am  perfectly 
well:  look  at  me."  I  say  that  it  is  "a  very  strange  case." 
"  Yes,  it  may  be  strange;  but  it  is  a  fact.  This  medicine 
cured  me  :  take  this  medicine,  audit  will  cure  you.  Although 
it  has  cost  me  a  great  deal,  it  shall  not  cost  you  anything.  Do 


32  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 


not  make  light  of  it,  I  beg  of  you."  *'  Well,"  I  say,  "  I  should 
like  to  believe  you;  but  this  is  contrary  to  my  reason." 

Hearing  this,  my  friend  goes  away  and  returns  with  an- 
other friend,  and  that  one  testifies  to  the  same  thing.  I  am 
still  disbeheving;  so  he  goes  away,  and  brings  in  another 
friend,  and  another,  and  another,  and  another;  and  they  all 
testify  to  the  same  thing.  They  say  they  were  as  bad  as  my- 
self ;  that  they  took  the  same  medicine  that  has  been  offered 
tome;  and  that  it  has  cured  them.  My  friend  then  hands 
me  the  medicine.  I  dash  it  to  the  ground ;  I  do  not  believe  in 
its  saving  power;  I  die.  The  reason  is  then  that  I  spurned 
the  remedy.  So,  if  you  perish,  it  will  not  be  because  Adam 
fell ;  but  because  you  spurned  the  remedy  offered  to  save  you. 
You  will  choose  darkness  rather  than  light.  "How  then  shall 
ye  escape,  if  ye  neglect  bo  great  salvation?"  There  is  no  hope 
for  you  if  you  neglect  the  remedy.  It  does  no  good  to  look  at 
the  wound.  If  we  had  been  in  the  Israelitish  camp  and  had 
been  bitten  by  one  of  the  fiery  serpents,  it  would  have  done  us 
no  good  to  look  at  the  wound.  Looking  at  the  wound  will 
never  save  any  one.  "What  you  must  do  is  to  look  at  the 
Eemedy  —  look  away  to  Him  who  hath  power  to  save  you 
from  your  sin. 

Behold  the  camp  of  the  Israelites;  look  at  the  scene  that 
is  pictured  to  your  eyes!  Many  are  dying  because  ihey 
neglect  the  remedy  that  is  offered.  In  that  arid  desert  is 
many  a  short  and  tiny  grave;  many  a  child  has  been  bitten  by 
the  fiery  serpents.  Fathers  and  mothers  are  bearing  away 
their  children.  Over  yonder  they  are  just  burying  a  mother; 
a  loved  mother  is  about  to  be  laid  in  the  earth.  All  the  family, 
weeping,  gather  around  the  beloved  form.  You  hear  the 
mournful  cries;  you  see  the  bitter  tears.  The  father  is  being 
borne  a^vay  to  his  last  resting  place.  There  is  waiHng  going 
up  all  over  the  camp.     Tears  are  pouring  down  for  thousands 


THE  GATEWAY  INTO  THE  KINGDOM.  33 

who  have  passed  away;  thousands  more  are  dying;  and  the 
plague  is  raging  from  one  end  of  the  camp  to  the  other. 

I  see  in  one  tent  an  Israehtish  mother  bending  over  the 
form  of  a  beloved  boy  just  coming  into  the  bloom  of  life,  just 
budding  into  manhood.  She  is  wiping  away  the  sweat  of 
death  that  is  gathering  upon  his  brow.  Yet  a  little  while, 
and  his  eyes  are  fixed  and  glassy,  for  life  is  ebbing  fast  away. 
The  mother's  heart-strings  are  torn  and  bleeding.  All  at  once 
she  hears  a  noise  in  the  camp.  A  great  shout  goes  up.  What 
does  it  mean?  She  goes  to  the  door  of  the  tent.  '*  What  is 
the  noise  in  the  camp?"  she  asks  those  passing  by.  And 
some  one  says :  "  Why,  my  good  woman,  have  you  not  heard 
the  good  news  that  has  come  into  the  camp?"  '*  No,"  says 
the  woman,  *'  Good  news!  What  is  it?"  *'  Why,  have  you 
not  heard  about  it?  God  has  provided  a  remedy."  <*  What! 
for  the  bitten  Israelities?  Oh,  tell  me  what  the  remedy  is!" 
•♦  Why,  God  has  instructed  Moses  to  make  a  brazen  serpent, 
and  to  put  it  on  a  pole  in  the  middle  of  the  camp ;  and  He 
has  declared  that  whosoever  looks  upon  it  shall  live.  The 
shout  that  you  hear  is  the  shout  of  the  people  when  they  see 
the  serpent  lifted  up."  The  mother  goes  back  into  the  tent, 
and  she  eays:  "  My  boy,  I  have  good  news  to  tell  you.  You 
need  not  die!  My  boy,  my  boy,  I  have  come  with  good 
tidings;  you  can  live!"  He  is  already  getting  stupefied;  he  is 
so  weak  he  cannot  walk  to  the  door  of  the  tent.  She  puts  her 
strong  arms  under  him  and  lifts  him  up.  "Look  yonder; 
look  right  there  under  the  hill!"  But  the  boy  does  not  see 
anything;  he  says — "I  do  not  see  anything;  what  is  it> 
mother?"  And  she  says:  "Keep  looking,  and  you  will  see 
it."  At  last  he  catches  a  glimpse  of  the  glistening  serpent; 
and  lo,  he  is  well !  And  thus  it  is  w^th  many  a  young  convert. 
Some  men  say,  "Oh,  we  do  not  believe  in  sudden  conver 
sions."    How  long  did  it  take  to  cure  that  boy?    How  long 


34  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 


did  it  take  to  cure  those  serpent-bitten  Israelites?     It  was  just 
a  look ;  and  they  were  well. 

That  Hebrew  bey  is  a  young  convert.  I  can  fancy  that  I 
see  him  now  calling  on  all  those  who  were  with  him  to  praise 
God.  He  sees  another  young  man  bitten  as  he  was;  and  he 
runs  up  to  him  and  tells  him,  •'  You  need  not  die."  ♦*  Oh,' 
the  young  man  replies,  "I  cannot  live;  it  is  not  possible. 
There  is  not  a  physician  in  Israel  who  can  cure  me."  He  does 
not  know  that  he  need  not  die.  "  Why,  have  you  net  heard 
the  news?  God  has  provided  a  remedy."  "  What  remedy?" 
'*  Why,  God  has  told  Moses  to  hft  up  a  brazen  serpent,  and 
has  said  that  none  of  these  who  look  upon  that  serpent  shall 
die."  I  can  just  imagine  the  young  man.  He  may  be  what 
you  call  an  intellectual  yoimg  man.  He  says  to  the  young 
convert:  "  You  do  not  think  I  am  going  to  believe  anything 
like  that?  If  the  physicians  in  Israel  cannot  cure  me,  how  do 
you  think  that  an  old  brass  serpent  on  a  pole  is  going  to  cure 
me?"  "  Yv'hy,  sir,  I  was  as  bad  as  yourself!"  "  Y^ou  do  not 
say  so!"  "Yes,  I  do."  ''That  is  the  most  astonishing 
thing  I  ever  heard,"  says  the  young  man:  "I  wish  you 
would  expla^in  the  philosophy  of  it."  **  I  cannot.  I  only 
know  that  I  looked  at  thafc  serpent,  and  I  was  cured:  that  did 
it.  I  just  looked;  that  is  all.  My  mother  told  me  the  re- 
ports that  were  being  heard  through  the  camp;  and  I  just  be- 
lieved what  my  mother  said,  and  I  am  perfectly  well."  "  AVell, 
I  do  not  believe  you  were  bitten  as  badly  as  I  have  been." 
The  young  man  pulls  up  his  sleeve.  "Look  there!  That 
mark  shows  where  I  was  bitten ;  and  I  tell  you  I  was  worse 
than  you  are."  "  Y/ell,  if  I  understood  the  philosophy  of  it  I 
would  look  and  get  well."  *'  Let  your  philosophy  go :  loo/;  a?id 
live/'  •'  But,  sir,  you  ask  me  to  do  an  unreasonable  thing. 
If  God  had  said.  Take  the  brass  and  rub  it  into  the  wound, 
there  might  be  something  in  the  brass  that  would  cure  the  bite. 


THE  GATEWAY  INTO  THE  KINGDOM.  35 

Young  man,  explain  the  philosophy  of  it."  I  have  often  seen 
people  before  me  who  have  talked  in  that  way.  But  the 
young  man  calls  in  another,  and  takes  him  into  the  tent,  and 
says:  '•  Just  tell  him  how  the  Lord  saved  you;"  and  he  tells 
just  the  same  story;  and  he  calls  in  others,  and  they  all  say 
the  same  thing. 

The  young  man  says  it  is  a  very  strange  thing.  *'  If  the 
Lord  had  told  Moses  to  go  and  get  some  herbs,  or  roots,  and 
stew  them,  and  take  the  decoction  as  a  medicine,  there  would 
be  something  in  that.  But  it  is  so  contrary  to  nature  to 
do  such  a  thing  as  look  at  the  serpent,  that  I  cannot  do  it." 
At  length  his  mother,  who  has  been  out  in  the  camp,  comes 
in,  and  she  says,  "  My  boy,  I  have  just  the  best  news  in 
the  world  for  you.  I  was  in  the  camp,  and  I  saw  hun- 
dreds who  were  very  far  gone,  and  they  are  all  perfectly 
well  now."  The  young  man  says:  "I  should  like  to  get 
well;  it  is  a  very  painful  thought  to  die;  I  want  to  go  into 
the  promised  land,  and  it  is  terrible  to  die  here  in  this  wilder- 
ness; but  the  fact  is — I  do  not  understand  the  rem.edy.  It 
does  not  appeal  to  my  reason.  I  cannot  believe  that  I  can 
get  well  in  a  moment."  And  the  young  man  dies  in  conse- 
quence of  his  own  unbelief. 

God  provided  a  remedy  for  this  bitten  Israelite — '*  Look 
and  live!"  And  there  is  eternal  life  for  every  poor  sinner. 
Look,  and  you  can  be  saved,  my  reader,  this  very  hour.  God 
has  provided  a  remedy;  and  it  is  offered  to  all.  The  trouble 
is,  a  great  many  people  are  looking  at  the  pole.  Do  not  look 
at  the  pole ;  that  is  the  church.  You  need  not  look  at  the 
church;  the  church  is  all  right,  but  the  church  cannot  save 
you.  Look  beyond  the  pole.  Look  at  the  Crucified  One. 
Ijook  to  Calvary.  Bear  in  mind,  sinner,  that  Jesus  died  for 
all.  You  need  not  look  at  ministers;  tbry  are  just  God's 
chosen  instruments  to  hold  up  the  Remedy,  to  hold  up  Christ. 


36  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

And  so,  my  friends,  take  your  eyes  off  from  men;  take  your 
eyes  off  from  the  church.  Lift  them  up  to  Jesus;  who  took 
away  the  sin  of  the  world,  and  there  will  be  Hfe  for  you  from 
this  hour. 

Thank  God,  we  do  not  require  an  education  to  teach  us 
how  to  look.  That  httle  girl,  that  little  boy,  only  four  years 
old,  who  cannot  read,  can  look.  When  the  father  is  coming 
home,  the  mother  says  to  her  little  boy, ' '  Look !  look  I  look ! " 
and  the  little  child  learns  to  look  long  before  he  is  a  year  old. 
And  that  is  the  way  to  be  saved.  It  is  to  look  at  the  Lamb  of 
God  *'  who  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world;  "  and  there  is 
life  this  moment  for  every  one  who  is  willing  to  look. 

Some  men  say,  "I  wish  I  knew  how  to  be  saved."  Just 
take  God  at  His  w^ord  and  trust  His  Son  tliis  very  day — this 
very  hour — this  very  moment.  He  will  save  you,  if  you  will 
trust  Him.  I  imagine  I  hear  some  one  saying,  *♦  I  do  not  feel 
the  bite  as  much  as  I  wish  I  did.  I  know  I  am  a  sinner,  and 
all  that;  but  I  do  not  feel  the  bite  enough."  How  much  does 
God  want  you  to  feel  it? 

When  I  was  in  Belfast  I  knew  a  doctor  who  had  a  friend, 
a  leading  surgeon  there ;  and  he  told  me  that  the  surgeon's 
custom  was,  before  performing  any  operation,  to  say  to  the 
patient,  *♦  Take  a  good  look  at  the  wound,  and  then  fix  your 
eyes  on  me;  and  do  not  take  them  off  till  I  get  through."  I 
thought  at  the  thne  that  was  a  good  illustration.  Sinner, 
take  a  good  look  at  your  wound;  and  then  fix  your  eyes 
on  Christ,  and  do  not  take  them  off.  It  is  better  to  look  at 
the  Eemedy  than  at  the  wound.  See  what  a  poor  wretched 
sinner  you  are;  and  then  look  at  the  Lamb  of  God  who 
*'  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  He  died  for  the  ungodly 
and  the  sinner.  Say  *'I  will  take  Him!"  And  may  God 
help  you  to  lift  your  eye  to  the  Man  on  Calvary.     And  as  the 


T'HE  GATEWAY"  INTO  THE  KINGDOM.  3? 

C — — — 

Israelites  looked  upon  the  serpent  and  were  healed,  bo  may 
you  look  and  live. 

After  the  battle  of  Pittsburgh  Landing  I  was  in  a  hospital 
at  Murfreesbro.'  In  the  middle  of  the  night  I  was  aroused  and 
told  that  a  man  in  one  of  the  wards  wanted  to  see  me.  I 
went  to  him  and  he  called  me  *'  chaplain  " — I  was  not  the 
chaplain — and  said  he  wanted  me  to  help  him  die.  And  I 
said,  ♦'  I  would  take  you  right  up  in  my  arms  and  carry  you 
into  the  kingdom  of  God  if  I  could;  but  I  cannot  do  it :  I 
cannot  help  you  die!"  And  he  said,  "  Who  can?"  I  said, 
*'  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  can — He  came  for  that  purpose." 
He  shook  his  head,  and  said,  *' He  cannot  save  me;  I  have 
sinned  all  my  life."  And  I  said,  "  But  He  came  to  save  sin- 
ners." I  thought  of  his  mother  in  the  north,  and  I  was  sure 
that  she  was  anxious  that  he  should  die  in  peace ;  so  I  re- 
solved I  would  stay  with  him.  I  prayed  two  or  three  times, 
and  repeated  all  the  promises  I  could;  for  it  was  evident  that 
in  a  few  hours  he  would  be  gone.  I  said  I  wanted  to  read 
him  a  conversation  that  Christ  had  with  a  man  who  was  anx- 
ious about  his  soul.  I  turned  to  the  third  chapter  of  John. 
His  eyes  were  riveted  on  me;  and  when  I  came  to  the  14th 
and  15th  verses — the  passage  before  us — he  caught  up  the 
words,  "  As  Moses  Hfted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness, 
even  so  must  the  Son  of  Man  be  lifted  up ;  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  Him  should  not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life." 
He  stopped  me  and  said,  "Is  that  there?"  I  said  "Yes." 
He  asked  me  to  read  it  again ;  and  I  did  bo.  He  leant  his 
elbows  on  the  cot  and  clasping  his  hands  together,  said, 
•'  That's  good;  won't  you  read  it  again?"  I  read  it  the  third 
time ;  and  then  went  on  with  the  rest  of  the  chapter.  When  I 
had  finished,  his  eyes  were  closed,  his  hands  were  folded,  and 
there  was  a  smile  on  his  face.  Oh,  how  it  was  lit  up !  What 
a  change  had  come  over  it  I    I  saw  his  lips  quivering,  and 


38  THE  WAY  TO  OOD. 


leaning  over  him  I  heard  in  a  faint  whisper,  *'  As  Moses  Hfted 
up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even  so  must  the  Son  of 
Man  be  lifted  up ;  that  whosoever  believeth  in  Him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  eternal  life."  He  opened  his  eyea  and  said, 
"That's  enough;  don't  read  any  more."  He  lingered  a  few 
hours,  pillowing  his  head  on  those  two  verses ;  and  then  went 
up  in  one  of  Christ's  chariots,  to  take  his  seat  in  the  kingdom 
of  God. 

Christ  said  to  Nicodemus :  ''  Except  a  man  be  born  again, 
he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  You  may  see  many 
countries;  but  there  is  one  country — the  land  of  Beulah, 
which  John  Bunyan  saw  in  vision — you  shall  never  behold, 
unless  you  are  born  again — regenerated  by  Christ.  You  can 
look  abroad  and  see  many  beautiful  trees;  but  the  tree  of  life, 
you  shall  never  behold,  unless  your  eyes  are  made  clear  by 
faith  in  the  Saviour.  You  may  see  the  beautiful  rivers  of  the 
earth — you  may  ride  upon  their  bosoms ;  but  bear  in  mind 
that  your  eye  will  never  rest  upon  the  river  which  bursts  out 
fiom  the  Throne  of  God  and  flows  through  the  upper  King- 
dom, unless  you  are  born  again.  God  has  said  it;  and  not 
man.  You  will  never  see  the  kingdom  of  God  except  you  are 
born  again.  You  may  see  the  kings  and  lords  of  the  earth; 
but  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords  you  will  never  see 
except  you  are  born  again.  When  you  are  in  London  you 
may  go  to  the  Tower  and  see  the  crown  of  England,  which  is 
worth  thousands  of  dollars,  and  is  guarded  there  by  soldiers; 
but  bear  in  mind  that  your  eye  will  never  rest  upon  the  crown 
of  life  except  you  are  born  again. 

You  may  hear  the  songs  of  Zion  which  are  sung  here ;  but 
one  song — that  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb — the  uncircumcised 
ear  shall  never  hear;  its  melody  will  only  gladden  the  ear  of 
those  who  have  been  born  again.  You  may  look  upon  the 
beautiful  mansions  of   earth,  but  bear  in  mind  the  man- 


THE  GATEWAY  INTO  THE  KINGDOM.  39 

sions  which  Christ  has  gone  to  prepare  you  shall  never  see 
unless  you  are  born  again.  It  is  God  who  says  it.  You 
may  see  ten  thousand  beautiful  things  in  this  world ;  but 
the  city  that  Abraham  caught  a  glimpse  of — and  from  that 
time  became  a  pilgrim  and  sojourner — you  shall  never  see  un- 
less you  are  born  again  (Heb.  xi.  8,  10 — 16).  You  may  often 
be  invited  to  marriage  feasts  here;  but  you  will  never  attend 
the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb  except  you  are  born  again. 
It  is  God  who  says  it,  dear  friend.  You  may  be  looking  on 
the  face  of  your  sainted  mother  to-night,  and  feel  that  she  is 
praying  for  you;  but  the  time  will  come  when  you  shall  never 
see  her  more  unless  you  are  born  again. 

The  reader  may  be  a  young  man  or  a  young  lady  who  has 
recently  stood  by  the  bedside  of  a  dying  mother;  and  she  may 
have  said,  ''  Be  sure  and  meet  me  in  heaven,"  and  you  made 
the  promise.  Ah !  you  shall  never  see  her  more,  except  you 
are  born  again.  I  believe  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  sooner  than 
those  infidels  who  say  you  do  not  need  to  be  born  again. 
Parents,  if  you  hope  to  see  your  children  who  have  gone  be- 
fore, yor  2nust  be  born  of  the  Spirit.  Possibly  you  are  a 
father  or  a  mother  who  has  recently  borne  a  loved  one  to  the 
grave ;  and  how  dark  your  home  seems !  Never  more  will  you 
see  your  child,  unless  you  are  born  again.  If  you  wish  to  be 
re-united  to  your  loved  one,  you  must  be  born  again.  I  may 
be  addressing  a  father  or  a  mother  who  has  a  loved  one  up 
yonder.  If  you  could  hear  that  loved  one's  voice,  it  would 
say,  "  Come  this  way."  Have  you  a  sainted  friend  up  yon- 
der? Yoimg  man  or  young  lady,  have  you  not  a  mother  in 
the  world  of  light?  If  you  could  hear  her  speak,  would  not 
she  say,  "  Come  this  way,  my  son," — *' Come  this  way,  my 
daughter  ?"  If  you  would  ever  see  her  more  you  must  be 
born  again. 


46  THE  WAY  TO  OOb. 


We  all  have  an  Elder  Brother  there.  Nearly  nineteen 
hundred  years  ago  He  crossed  over,  and  from  the  heavenly 
shores  He  is  calling  you  to  heaven.  Let  us  turn  our  backs 
upon  the  world.  Let  us  give  a  deaf  ear  to  the  world.  Let 
us  look  to  Jesus  on  the  Cross  and  be  saved.  Then  we  shall 
one  day  see  the  King  in  His  beauty,  and  we  shall  go  no  more 
out. 


TME  ioWO  CLAUSES.  41 


CHAPTER  III, 
THE  TWO  CLASSES, 

•••  Two  men  went  up  into  the  tomplo  to  pray." — ^Lxjke  xvli.  10. 

I  NOW  want  to  speak  of  two  classes :  First,  those  who  do 
not  feel  their  need  of  a  Saviour  who  have  not  been  convinced 
of  sin  by  the  Spirit;  and  Second,  those  who  are  convinced  of 
sin  and  cry,  '*  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved?" 

All  inquirers  can  be  ranged  under  two  heads :  they  have 
either  the  spirit  of  the  Pharisee,  or  the  spirit  of  the  publican. 
If  a  man  having  the  spirit  of  the  Pharisee  comes  into  an 
after-meeting,  I  know  of  no  better  portion  of  Scripture  to  meet 
his  case  than  Romans  iii.  ^10:  **As  it  is  written,  There  is 
none  righteous,  no,  not  one :  there  is  none  that  understandeth ; 
there  is  none  that  seeketh  after  God."  Paul  is  here  speaking 
of  the  natural  man.  "  They  are  all  gone  out  of  the  way,  they 
are  together  become  unprofitable;  there  is  none  that  doeth 
good,  no,  not  one."  And  in  the  17th  verse  and  those  which 
follow,  we  have  "  And  the  way  of  peace  have  they  not  known; 
there  is  no  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes.  Now  we  know  what 
things  soever  the  law  saith,  it  saith  to  them  who  are  under 
the  law;  that  every  mouth  may  be  stopped,  and  all  the  world 
may  become  guilty  before  God." 

Then  observe  the  last  clause  of  verse  22  :  "  For  there  is 
no  difference;  for  all  have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory 
of  God."  Not  part  of  the  human  family — but  all — "have 
sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God."  Another  verse 
which  has  been  very  much  used  to  convict  men  of  their  sin  is 


42  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 


1  John  i.  8:     "  If  we  say  that  we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive 
ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  us." 

I  remember  that  on  one  occasion  we  were  holding  meetings 
in  an  eastern  city  of  forty  thousand  inhabitants;  and  a  lady 
came  and  asked  us  to  pray  for  her  husband,  whom  she  pur- 
posed bringing  into  the  after  meeting.  I  have  traveled  a  good 
deal  and  met  many  pharisaical  men ;  but  this  man  was  so  clad 
in  self -righteousness  that  you  could  not  get  the  point  of  the 
needle  of  conviction  in  anywhere.  I  said  to  his  wife:  "I 
am  glad  to  see  your  faith;  but  we  cannot  get  near  him;  he  is 
the  most  self-righteous  man  I  ever  saw."  She  said:  "You 
viust!  My  heart  will  break  if  these  meetings  end  without  his 
conversion."  She  persisted  in  bringing  him ;  and  I  got  almost 
tired  of  the  sight  of  him. 

But  towards  the  close  of  our  meetings  of  thirty  days,  he 
came  up  to  me  and  put  his  trembling  hand  on  my  shoulder. 
The  place  in  which  the  meetings  were  held  was  rather  cold, 
and  there  was  an  adjoining  room  in  which  only  the  gas  had 
been  lighted;  and  he  said  to  me,  *'  Can't  you  come  in  here  for 
a  few  minutes?"  I  thought  that  he  was  shaking  from  cold, 
and  I  did  not  particularly  wish  to  go  where  it  v>^as  colder.  But 
he  said:  **I  am  the  worst  man  in  the  State  of  Vermont.  I 
want  you  to  pray  for  me."  I  thought  he  had  committed  a 
murder,  or  some  other  awful  crime;  and  I  asked:  "Is  there 
any  one  sin  that  particularly  troubles  you?"  And  he  said: 
"My  whole  life  has  been  a  sin.  I  have  been  a  conceited,  self- 
righteous  Pharisee.  I  -want  you  to  pray  for  me."  He  was 
under  deep  conviction.  Man  could  not  have  produced  this 
result;  but  the  Spirit  had.  About  two  o'clock  in  the  morning 
light  broke  in  upon  his  soul:  and  he  went  up  and  down  the 
business  street  of  the  city  and  told  what  God  had  done  for 
him ;  and  has  been  a  most  active  Christian  ever  since. 


THE  TWO  CLASSES.  43 

There  are  four  other  passages  in  deahng  with  mquirers, 
which  were  used  by  Christ  Himself.  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say 
unto  thee,  Except  a  raan  bo  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the 
kingdom  of  God."     (John  iii.  3.) 

In  Luke  xiii.  3,  we  read:  "Except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all 
likewise  perish." 

In  Matthew  xviii.,  when  the  disciples  came  to  Jesus  to 
know  who  was  to  be  the  greatest  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
we  are  told  that  He  took  a  little  child  and  set  him  in  the  midst 
and  said,  "  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  Except  ye  be  converted, 
and  become  as  little  children,  ye  shall  not  enter  the  kingdom 
of  heaven"  (xviii.  1-3). 

There  is  another  important  "Except"  in  Matthew  v.  20: 
"Except  your  righteousness  shall  exceed  the  righteousness  of 
the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  ye  shall  in  no  case  enter  the  king- 
dom of  heaven." 

A  man  must  be  made  meet  before  he  will  want  to  go  into 
the  kingdom  of  God.  I  would  rather  go  into  the  kingdom 
with  the  younger  brother  than  stay  outside  with  the  elder. 
Heaven  would  be  hell  to  such  an  one.  An  elder  brother  who 
could  not  rejoice  at  his  younger  brother's  return  would  not  be 
"fit"  for  the  kingdom  of  God.  It  is  a  solemn  thing  to  con- 
template; but  the  curtain  drops  and  leaves  him  outside,  and 
the  younger  brother  within.  To  him  the  language  of  the 
Saviour  under  other  circumstances  seems  appropriate  :  "Ver- 
ily I  say  unto  you.  That  the  publicans  and  the  harlots  go  into 
the  kingdom  of  God  before  you"  (Matt.  xxi.  31). 

A  lady  once  came  to  me  and  wanted  a  favor  for  her  daugh- 
ter. She  said :  *'  You  must  remember  I  do  not  sympathize 
with  you  in  your  doctrine."  I  asked:  "What  is  your 
trouble?"  She  said  :  "I  think  your  abuse  of  the  elder  brother 
is  horrible.  I  think  he  is  a  noble  character."  I  said  that  I 
was  williag  to  hear  her  defend  him ;  but  that  it  was  a  solemn 


44  THE  Way  fo  OOD. 


thing  to  take  up  such  a  position ;  and  that  the  elder  brother 
needed  to  be  converted  as  much  as  the  younger.  When  peo- 
ple talk  of  being  moral  it  is  well  to  get  them  to  take  a  good 
look  at  the  old  man  pleading  with  his  boy  who  would  not 
go  in. 

But  we  will  pass  on  now  to  the  other  class  with  which  we 
have  to  deal.  It  is  composed  of  those  vrho  are  convinced  of 
sin  and  from  whom  the  cry  comes  as  from  the  Philippian 
jailer,  *' What  must  I  do  to  be  saved?"  To  those  who  utter 
this  penitential  cry  there  is  no  necessity  to  administer  the  law. 
It  is  well  to  bring  them  straight  to  the  Scripture  :  "Believe 
on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved."  (Acts 
xvi.  31).  Many  will  meet  you  with  a  scowl  and  say,  *'  I  don't 
know  what  it  is  to  believe ;  and  though  it  is  the  law  of  heaven 
that  they  must  believe,  in  order  to  be  saved — yet  they  ask  for 
something  besides  that.  We  are  to  tell  them  what,  and  where, 
and  how,  to  believe. 

In  John  iii.  35  and  36  we  read  :  "The  Father  loveth  the 
Son,  and  hath  given  all  things  into  His  hand.  He  that  be- 
lieveth  on  the  Son  hatk  everlasting  life;  and  he  that  believeth 
not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life ;  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth 
on  him." 

Now  this  looks  reasonable.  Man  lost  life  by  unbelief — by 
not  believing  God's  word;  and  we  got  life  back  again  by  be- 
lieving—by taking  God  at  His  word.  In  other  words  we  get 
up  where  Adam  fell  down.  He  stumbled  and  fell  over  the 
stone  of  unbelief;  and  we  are  lifted  up  and  stand  upright  by 
believing.  When  people  say  they  cannot  believe,  show  them 
chapter  and  verse,  and  hold  them  right  to  this  one  thing : 
"Has  God  ever  broken  His  promise  for  these  six  thousand 
years?"  The  devil  and  men  have  been  trying  all  the  time  and 
have  not  succeeded  in  showing  that  He  has  broken  a  single 
promise;  and  there  would  be  a  jubilee  in  hell  to-day  if  one  word 


THE  TWO  CLASSES.  45 

that  He  has  spoken  could  be  broken.  If  a  man  says  that  he 
cannot  beheve  it  is  well  to  press  him  on  that  one  thing. 

I  can  believe  God  better  to-day  than  I  can  my  own  heart. 
"The  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately 
wicked  :  who  can  know  it?"  (Jer.  xvii.  9).  I  can  believe  God 
better  than  I  can  myself.  If  you  want  to  know  the  way 
of  Life,  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  a  personal  Saviour;  cut 
away  from  all  doctrines  and  creeds,  and  come  right  to 
the  heart  of  the  Son  of  God.  If  you  have  been  feeding  on 
dry  doctrine  there  is  not  much  growth  on  that  kind  of  food. 
Doctrines  are  to  the  soul  what  the  streets  which  lead  to  the 
house  of  a  friend  who  has  invited  me  to  dinner  are  to  the 
body.  They  will  lead  me  there  if  I  take  the  right  one ;  but  if 
I  remain  in  the  streets  my  hunger  will  never  be  satisfied. 
Feeding  on  doctrines  is  like  trying  to  live  on  dry  husks;  and 
lean  indeed  must  the  soul  remain  which  partakes  not  of  the 
Bread  sent  down  from  heaven. 

Some  ask  :  *'  How  am  I  to  get  my  heart  warmed?"  It  is 
by  believing.  You  do  not  get  power  to  love  and  serve  God 
until  you  believe. 

The  apostle  John  says  :  "  If  we  receive  the  witness  of  men, 
the  witness  of  God  is  greater:  for  this  is  the  witness  of  God 
which  He  hath  testified  of  His  Son.  He  that  believeth  on  the 
Son  of  God  hath  the  witness  in  himself :  he  that  believeth 
not  God  hath  made  Him  a  liar;  because  he  believeth  not  the 
record  that  God  gave  of  His  Son.  And  this  is  the  record, 
that  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life,  and  this  life  is  in  His 
Son.  He  that  hath  the  Son  hath  life ;  and  ho  that  hath  not 
the  Son  of  God  hath  not  life  "  (1  John  v.  9). 

Human  affairs  would  come  to  a  standstill  if  we  did  not 
take  the  testimony  of  men.  How  should  we  get  on  in  the 
ordinary  intercourse  of  life,  and  how  would  commerce  get  on, 
if  we  disregarded  men's  testimony?     Things  social  and  com- 


46  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

mercial  would  come  to  a  dead-lock  within  forty-eight  hours  f 
This  is  the  drift  of  the  apostle's  argument  here.  "  If  we  re- 
ceive the  witness  of  men,  the  witness  of  God  is  greater."  God 
has  borne  witness  to  Jesus  Christ.  And  if  man  can  believe 
his  fellow  men  who  are  frequently  telling  untruths  and  whom 
we  are  constantly  finding  unfaithful,  why  should  we  not  take 
God  at  His  word  and  believe  His  testimony? 

Faith  is  a  belief  in  testimony.  It  is  not  a  leap  in  the  dark, 
as  some  tell  us.  That  would  be  no  faith  at  all.  God  does 
not  ask  any  man  to  believe  without  giving  him  something  to 
believe.  You  might  as  well  ask  a  man  to  see  without  eyes ;  to 
hear  without  ears ;  and  to  walk  without  feet — as  to  bid  him 
believe  without  giving  him  something  to  believe. 

When  I  started  for  California  I  procured  a  guide-book. 
This  told  me,  that  after  leaving  the  State  of  Illinois,  I  should 
cross  the  Mississippi,  and  then  the  Missouri;  get  into  Ne- 
braska ;  then  over  the  Rocky  Mountains  to  the  Mormon  set- 
tlement at  Salt  Lake  City,  and  by  the  way  of  the  Sierra 
Nevada  into  San  Francisco.  I  found  the  guide  book  all  right  as 
I  went  along;  and  I  should  have  been  a  miserable  sceptic  if, 
having  proved  it  to  be  correct  three-fourthe  of  the  way,  I  had 
said  that  I  would  not  believe  it  for  the  remainder  of  the 
journey. 

Suppose  a  man,  in  directing  me  to  the  Post  Office,  gives 
me  ten  landmarks;  and  that,  in  my  progress  there,  I  find  nine 
of  them  to  be  as  he  told  me;  I  should  have  good  reason  to 
believe  that  I  was  coming  to  the  Post  OfQce. 

And  if,  by  believing,  I  get  a  new  life,  and  a  hope,  a  peace, 
a  joy,  and  a  rest  to  my  soul,  that  I  never  had  before;  if  I  get 
self-control,  and  find  that  I  have  a  power  to  resist  evil  and  to 
do  good,  I  have  pretty  good  proof  that  I  am  in  the  right  road 
to  the  *'  city  which  hath  foundations,  whose  builder  and  maker 
is  God."     And  if  things  have  taken  place,  and  are  now  taking 


THE  TWO  CLASSES.  47 

place,  as  recorded  in  God's  Word,  I  have  good  reason  to  con- 
clude that  what  yet  remains  will  be  fulfilled.  And  yet  people 
talk  of  doubting.  There  can  be  no  true  faith  where  there  is 
fear.  Faith  is  to  take  God  at  His  word,  unconditionally. 
There  cannot  be  true  peace  wiiere  there  is  fear.  "Perfect 
love  casteth  out  fear."  How  wretched  a  wife  would  be  if  she 
doubted  her  husband!  and  how  miserable  a  mother  would  feel 
if  after  her  boy  had  gone  away  from  home  she  had  reason, 
from  his  neglect,  to  question  that  son's  devotion !  True  love 
never  has  a  doubt. 

There  are  three  things  indispensable  to  faith— knowledge, 
assent,  and  appropriation. 

We  must  know  God.  "  And  this  is  life  eternal,  that  they 
might  know  Thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom 
Thou  hast  sent"  (John  xvii.  3).  Then  we  must  not  only 
give  our  assent  to  what  we  know ;  but  we  must  lay  hold  of  the 
truth.  If  a  man  simply  give  his  assent  to  the  plan  of  salva- 
tion, it  will  not  save  him  :  he  must  accept  Christ  as  his 
Saviour.     He  must  receive  and  appropriate  Him. 

Some  say  they  cannot  tell  how  a  man's  life  can  be  affected 
by  his  belief.  But  let  some  one  cry  out  that  some  building  in 
which  we  happen  to  be  sitting,  is  on  fire;  and  see  how  soon 
we  should  act  on  our  belief  and  get  out.  We  are  all  the  time 
influenced  by  wliat  we  believe.  We  cannot  help  it.  And  let 
a  man  believe  the  r(;Cord  that  God  has  given  of  Christ,  and  it 
will  very  quickly  affect  his  whole  life. 

Take  John  v.  24.  There  is  enough  truth  in  that  one  verse 
for  every  soul  to  rest  upon  for  salvation.  It  does  not  admit 
the  shadow  of  a  doubt.  '*  Verily,  verily" — which  means 
truly,  truly — "  I  say  unto  you,  Ho  that  hearetli  My  word,  and 
bc'lievcth  on  Him  that  Bent  Me,  hath — hatJi — everlasting  life, 
and  shall  not  come  into  condemnation;  but  is  passed  from 
death  unto  life," 


48  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

Now  if  a  person  really  hears  the  word  of  Jesus  and  believes 
with  the  heart  on  God  who  sent  the  Son  to  be  the  Saviour  of 
the  world,  and  lays  hold  of  and  appropriates  this  great  salva- 
tion, there  is  no  fear  of  judgment.  He  will  not  be  looking 
forward  with  dread  to  the  Great  White  Throne;  for  we  read 
in  1  John  iv.  17:  "  Herein  is  our  love  made  perfect,  that  we 
may  have  boldness  in  the  day  of  judgment :  because  as  He  is, 
so  are  we  in  this  world." 

If  we  believe,  there  is  for  us  no  condemnation,  no  judg- 
ment. That  is  behind  us,  and  passed;  and  we  shall  have 
boldness  in  the  day  of  judgment. 

I  remember  reading  of  a  man  who  was  on  trial  for  his  life. 
He  had  friends  with  influence;  and  they  procured  a  pardon 
for  him  from  the  king  on  condition  that  he  was  to  go  through 
the  trial,  and  be  condemned.  He  went  into  court  with  the 
pardon  in  his  pocket.  The  feeling  ran  very  high  against  him, 
and  the  judge  said  that  the  court  was  shocked  that  he  was  so 
much  unconcerned.  But,  when  the  sentence  was  pronounced, 
he  pulled  out  the  pardon,  presented  it,  and  walked  out  a  free 
man.  He  has  been  pardoned;  and  bo  have  we.  Then  let 
death  come,  we  have  nought  to  fear.  All  the  grave-diggers  in 
the  world  cannot  dig  a  grave  large  enough  and  deep  enough  to 
hold  eternal  life;  all  the  coffin  makers  in  the  world  cannot 
make  a  coffin  large  enough  and  tight  enough  to  hold  eternal 
life.  Death  has  had  his  hand  on  Christ  once,  but  never 
again. 

Jesus  said  :  "  I  a,m  the  Kesurrection,  and  the  Life:  he  that 
believeth  in  Me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live:  and 
whosoever  iiveth  and  believeth  in  Me  shall  never  die  "  (John 
xi.  25,  26).  And  in  the  Apocalypse  we  read  that  the  risen 
Saviour  said  to  John,  "I  am  He  that  Iiveth,  and  was  dead; 
and,  behold,  I  am  aliva  for  evermore  "  (Rev  i.  18).  Death 
cannot  touch  Him  again. 


THE  TWO  CLASSES.  49 

We  get  life  by  believing.  In  fact  we  get  more  than  Adam 
lost;  for  the  redeemed  child  of  God  is  heir  to  a  richer  and 
more  glorious  inheritance  than  Adam  in  Paradise  could  ever 
have  conceived;  yea,  and  that  inheritance  endures  forever — 
it  is  inalienable. 

I  would  much  rather  have  my  life  hid  with  Christ  in  God 
than  have  lived  in  Paradise ;  for  Adam  might  have  sinned  and 
fallen  after  being  there  ten  thousand  years.  But  the  believer 
is  safer,  if  these  things  become  real  to  him.  Let  us  make 
them  a  fact,  and  not  a  fiction.  God  has  said  it;  and  that  is 
enough.  Let  us  trust  Him  even  where  we  cannot  trace  Him. 
Let  the  same  confidence  animate  us  that  was  in  little  Maggie 
as  related  in  the  following  simple  but  touching  incident  which 
I  read  in  the  Bible  Treasury: — • 

''I  had  been  absent  from  home  for  some  days,  and  was 
wondering,  as  I  again  draw  near  the  homestead,  if  my  little 
Maggie,  just  able  to  sit  alone,  would  remember  me.  To  test 
her  memory,  I  stationed  myself  where  I  could  see  her,  but 
could  not  be  seen  by  her,  and  called  her  name  in  the  familiar 
tone,  •  Maggie!'  She  dropped  her  playthings,  glanced  around 
the  room,  and  then  looked  down  upon  her  toys.  Again  I  re- 
peated her  name,  '  Maggie!'  when  she  once  more  surveyed  the 
room;  but,  not  seeing  her  father's  istce,  she  looked  very  sad, 
and  slowly  resumed  her  employment.  Once  more  I  called, 
'Maggie!'  when,  dropping  her  playthings,  and  bursting  into 
tears,  she  stretched  out  her  arms  in  the  direction  whence  the 
sound  proceeded,  knowing  that,  though  she  could  not  see  him, 
her  father  must  be  there,  for  she  knew  his  voice." 

Now,  we  have  power  to  see  and  to  hear,  and  we  have 
power  to  believe.  It  is  all  folly  for  the  inquirers  to  take  the 
ground  that  they  cannot  believe.  They  can,  if  they  will.  But 
the  trouble  with  most  people  is  that  they  have  connected  feel- 
ing with  believing.     Now  Feeling  has  nothing  whatever  to  do 


50  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

with  Believing.  The  Bible  does  not  say — He  that  feeleth,  or 
he  that  feeleth  and  believeth,  hath  everlasting  life.  Nothing 
of  the  kind.  I  cannot  control  my  feelings.  If  I  could,  I 
should  never  feel  ill,  or  have  a  headache  or  toothacho.  I 
I  should  be  well  all  the  while.  But  I  can  believe  God;  and  if 
we  get  our  feet  on  that  rock,  let  doubts  and  fears  come  and 
the  waves  surge  around  us,  the  anchor  will  hold. 

Some  people  are  all  the  time  looking  at  their  faith.  Faith 
is  the  hand  that  takes  the  blessing.  I  heard  this  illustration 
of  a  beggar.  Suppose  you  were  to  meet  a  man  in  the  street 
whom  you  had  known  for  years  as  being  accustomed  to  beg; 
and  you  offered  him  some  money,  and  he  were  to  say  to  you  : 
"I  thank  you;  I  don't  want  your  money:  I  am  not  a  beggar." 
*'How  is  that?"  "Last  night  a  man  put  a  thousand  dollars 
into  my  hands."  "He  did!  How  did  you  know  it  was  good 
money?"  "I  took  it  to  the  bank  and  deposited  it  and  have 
got  a  bank  book."  "How  did  you  get  this  gift?"  "I  asked 
for  alms;  and  after  the  gentleman  talked  with  me  he  took  out 
a  thousand  dollars  in  money  and  put  it  in  my  hand."  "How 
do  you  know  that  he  put  it  in  the  right  hand?"  "What  do  I 
care  about  which  hand;  so  that  I  have  got  the  money."  Many 
people  are  always  thinking  whether  the  faith  by  which  they 
lay  hold  of  Christ  is  the  right  kind — but  what  is  far  more 
essential  is  to  see  that  we  have  the  right  kind  of  Christ. 

Faith  is  the  eye  of  the  soul;  and  who  would  ever  think  of 
taking  out  an  eye  to  see  if  it  were  the  right  kind  so  long  as 
the  sight  was  perfect?  It  is  not  my  taste,  but  it  is  what  I 
taste,  that  satisfies  my  appetite.  So,  dear  friends,  it  is  taking 
God  at  His  Word  that  is  the  means  of  our  salvation.  The 
truth  cannot  be  made  too  simple. 

There  is  a  man  living  in  the  city  of  New  York  who  has  a 
home  on  the  Hudson  River.  His  daughter  and  her  family 
went  to  spend  the  winter  with  him ;  and  in  the  course  of  the 


THE  TWO  CLASSES..  51 

season  the  scarlet  fever  broke  out.  One  little  girl  was  put  in 
quarantine,  to  be  kept  separate  from  the  rest.  Every  morning 
the  old  grandfather  used  to  go  and  bid  his  grandchild,  "Good- 
bye," before  going  to  his  business.  On  one  of  these  occasions 
the  little  thing  took  the  old  man  by  the  hand,  and,  leading 
him  to  a  corner  of  the  room,  without  saying  a  word  she 
pointed  to  the  floor  where  she  had  arranged  some  small 
crackers  so  they  would  spell  out,  "Grandpa,  I  want  a  box  of 
paints."  He  said  nothing.  On  his  return  home  he  hung  up 
his  overcoat  and  went  to  the  room  as  usual:  when  his  little 
grandchild,  without  looking  to  see  if  her  wish  had  been  com- 
plied with,  took  him  into  the  same  corner,  where  he  saw 
spelled  out  in  the  same  way,  "Grandpa,  I  thank  you  for  the 
box  of  paints,"  The  old  man  would  not  have  missed  gratify- 
ing the  child  for  anything.     That  was  faith. 

Faith  is  taking  God  at  His  Word;  and  those  people  who 
want  some  token  are  always  getting  into  trouble.  We  want  to 
come  to  this:  God  says  it — let  us  believe  it. 

But  some  say,  Faitli  is  the  gift  of  God.  So  is  the  air;  but 
you  have  to  breathe  it.  So  is  bread ;  but  you  have  to  eat  it. 
So  is  water;  but  you  have  to  drink  it.  Some  are  wanting  a 
miraculous  kind  of  feeling.  That  is  not  faith.  "Faith 
Cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  Word  of  God"  (Rom. 
X.  17).  That  is  whence  faith  comes.  It  is  not  for  me  to  sit 
down  and  wait  for  faith  to  come  stealing  over  me  with  a 
strange  sensation;  but  it  is  for  me  to  take  God  at  His  Word. 
And  you  cannot  believe,  unless  you  have  something  to  believe. 
So  take  the  Word  as  it  is  written,  and  appropriate  it,  and  lay 
hold  of  it. 

In  John  vi.  47,  48  we  read:  "Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
He  that  believeth  on  Me  hath  everlasting  life.  I  am  that 
Bread  of  life."  There  is  the  bread  right  at  hand.  Partake 
of  it,     I  might  have  thousands  of  loaves  within  my  home,  and 


52  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 


as  many  hungry  men  in  waiting.  They  might  assent  to  the 
fact  that  the  bread  was  there;  but  unless  they  each  took  a  loaf 
and  commenced  eating,  their  hunger  would  not  be  satisfied. 
So  Christ  is  the  Bread  of  heaven ;  and  as  the  body  feeds  on 
natural  food,  so  the  soul  must  feed  on  Christ. 

If  a  drowning  man  sees  a  rope  thrown  out  to  rescue  him 
he  must  lay  hold  of  it;  and  in  order  to  do  so  he  must  let  go 
everything  else.  If  a  man  is  sick  he  must  take  the  medicine 
— for  simply  looking  at  it  will  not  cure  him.  A  knowl- 
edge of  Christ  will  not  help  the  inquirer,  unless  he  believes  in 
Him,  and  takes  hold  of  Him,  as  his  only  hope.  The  bitten 
Israelites  might  have  believed  that  the  serpent  was  lifted  up; 
but  unless  they  had  looked  they  would  not  have  lived  (Num. 
xxi.  6-9). 

I  believe  that  a  certain  line  of  steamers  will  convey  me 
across  the  ocean,  because  I  have  tried  it :  but  this  will  not 
help  another  man  who  may  want  to  go,  unless  he  acts  upon  my 
knowledge.  So  a  knowledge  of  Christ  does  not  help  us  unless 
we  act  upon  it.  That  is  what  it  is  to  believe  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  It  is  to  act  on  what  we  believe.  As  a  man 
steps  on  board  a  steamer  to  cross  the  Atlantic,  so  we  must 
take  Christ  and  make  a  commitment  of  our  souls  to  Him ; 
and  He  has  promised  to  keep  all  who  put  their  trust  in  Him. 
To  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  simply  to  take  Him  at 
His  word. 


WORDS  OF  COUNSEL.  53 


CHAPTER  IV. 
WORDS  OF  COUNSEL. 

*'  A  bruised  reed  shall  He  not  break."— Isaiah  xlii.  3 ;  Matt.  xii.  20. 

It  is  dangerous  for  those  who  are  seeking  salvation  to  lean 
upon  the  experience  of  other  people.  Many  are  waiting  for  a 
repetition  of  the  experience  of  their  grandfather  or  grand- 
mother. I  had  a  friend  who  was  converted  in  a  field ;  and  he 
thinks  the  whole  town  ought  to  go  down  into  that  meadow 
and  be  converted.  Another  was  converted  under  a  bridge ; 
and  he  thinks  that  if  any  enquirer  were  to  go  there  he  would 
find  the  Lord.  The  best  thing  for  the  anxious  is  to  go  right 
to  the  Word  of  God.  If  there  are  any  persons  in  the  world  to 
whom  the  Word  ought  to  be  very  precious  it  is  those  who  are 
asking  how  to  be  saved. 

For  instance  a  man  may  say,  "  I  have  no  strength."  Let 
him  turn  to  Komans  v.  6.  "For  when  we  were  yet  without 
strength,  in  due  time  Christ  died  for  the  ungodly."  It  is  be- 
cause we  have  no  strength  that  we  need  Christ.  He  has  come 
to  give  strength  to  the  weak. 

Another  may  say,  "I  cannot  see."  Christ  says,  "I  am  the 
Light  of  the  world"  (John  viii.  12).  He  came,  not  only  to 
give  light,  but  "to  open  the  blind  eyes"  (Isa.  xlii.  7). 

Another  may  say,  "I  do  not  think  a  man  can  be  saved  all 
at  once."  A  person  holding  that  view  was  in  the  Enquiry- 
room  one  night;  and  I  drew  his  attention  to  Romans  vi.  23. 
"The  wages  of  sin  is  death;  but  the  (jift  of  God  is  eternal  life, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  How  long  does  it  take  to 
accept  a  gift?     There  must  be  a  moment  when  you  have  it 


54  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 


not,  and  another  when  you  have  it — a  moment  when  it  ia 
another's,  and  the  next  when  it  is  yours.  It  does  not  take  six 
months  to  get  eternal  life.  It  may  however  in  some  cases  he 
like  the  mustard  seed,  very  small  at  the  commencement. 
Some  people  are  converted  so  gradually  that,  like  the  morn- 
ing light,  it  is  impossible  to  tell  when  the  dawn  began ;  while, 
with  others,  it  is  like  the  flashing  of  a  meteor,  and  the  truth 
bursts  upon  them  suddenly. 

I  would  not  go  across  the  street  to  prove  when  I  was  con- 
verted; but  what  is  important  is  for  me  to  know  that  I  really 
have  been. 

It  may  be  that  a  child  has  been  so  carefully  trained  that  it 
is  impossible  to  tell  when  the  new  birth  began ;  but  there  must 
have  been  a  moment  when  the  change  took  place,  and  when  he 
became  a  partaker  of  the  Divine  nature. 

Some  people  do  not  believe  in  sudden  conversion.  But  I 
will  challenge  any  one  to  show  a  conversion  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament that  was  not  instantaneous.  "As  Jesus  passed  by  He 
saw  Levi,  the  son  of  Alpheus,  sitting  at  the  receipt  of  custom, 
and  said  unto  him,  'Follow  Me' :  and  he  arose  and  followed 
Him"  (Matt.  ix.  9).  Nothing  could  be  more  sudden  than 
that. 

Zaccheus,  the  publican,  sought  to  see  Jesus;  and  because 
he  was  little  of  stature  he  climbed  up  a  tree.  When  Jesus 
came  to  the  place  He  looked  up  and  saw  him,  and  said, 
"  Zaccheus,  make  haste,  and  come  down"  (Luke  xix.  5).  His 
conversion  must  have  taken  place  somewhere  between  the 
branch  and  the  ground.  We  are  told  that  he  received  Jesus 
joyfully,  and  said,  "Behold,  Lord,  the  half  of  my  goods  I  give 
to  the  poor;  and  if  I  have  taken  anything  from  any  man  by 
false  accusation,  I  restore  him  fourfold"  (Luke  xix.  8).  Very 
few  in  these  days  could  say  that  in  proof  of  their  conversion. 


WORDS  OF  COUNSEL.  55 

The  whole  house  of  Cornelius  was  converted  suddenly;  for 
as  Peter  preached  Christ  to  him  and  his  company  the  Holy 
Ghost  fell  on  them,  and  they  were  haptized.     (Acts  x.) 

On  the  day  of  Pentecost  three  thousand  gladly  received  the 
Word.  They  were  not  only  converted,  but  they  were  baptized 
the  same  day.     (Acts  ii.) 

And  when  Philip  talked  to  the  eunuch,  as  they  went  on 
their  way,  the  eunuch  said  to  Philip,  "See,  here  is  water: 
what  doth  hinder  me  to  be  baptized?"  Nothing  hindered. 
And  Philip  said,  "If  thou  believest  with  all  thine  heart,  thou 
mayest."  And  they  both  went  down  into  the  water;  and  the 
man  of  great  authority  under  Candace,  the  queen  of  the  Ethi- 
opians, was  baptized,  and  went  on  his  way  rejoicing.  (Acts 
viii.  26 — 38  )  You  will  find  all  through  Scripture  that  con- 
versions were  sudden  and  instantaneous. 

A  man  has  been  in  the  habit  of  stealing  money  from  his 
employer.  Suppose  he  has  taken  $1,000  in  twelve  months; 
should  we  tell  him  to  take  $500  the  next  year,  and  less  the 
next  year,  and  the  next,  until  in  five  years  the  sum  taken 
would  be  only  $50?  That  would  be  upon  the  same  principle 
as  gradual  conversion. 

If  such  a  person  were  brought  before  the  court  and  par- 
doned, because  he  could  not  change  his  mode  of  life  all  at 
once,  it  would  be  considered  a  very  si/range  proceeding. 

But  the  Bible  says,  "  Let  him  that  stole  steal  no  more  " 
(Eph.  iv.  28).  It  is  "right  about  face!"  Suppose  a  person 
is  in  the  habit  of  cursing  one  hundred  times  a  day :  should 
we  advise  him  not  to  utter  more  than  ninety  oaths  the  following 
day,  and  eighty  the  next  day;  so  that  in  the  course  of  time  he 
would  get  rid  of  the  habit?  The  Saviour  says,  "  Swear  not 
at  all."     (Matt.  v.  34.) 

Suppose  another  man  is  in  the  habit  of  getting  drunk  and 
beating  his  wife  twice  a  month;  if  he  only  did  so  once  a 


THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 


month,  and  then  only  once  in  six  months,  that  would  be,  upon 
the  same  ground,  as  reasonable  as  gradual  conversion.  Sup- 
pose Ananias  had  been  sent  to  Paul,  when  he  was  on  his  way 
to  Damascus  breathing  out  threatenings  and  slaughter  against 
the  disciples,  and  casting  them  into  prison,  to  tell  him  not  to 
kill  so  many  as  he  intended;  and  to  let  enmity  die  out  of  his 
heart  gradually,  but  not  all  at  once.  Suppose  he  had  been 
told  that  it  would  not  do  to  stop  breathing  out  threatenings 
and  slaughter,  and  to  commence  preaching  Christ  all  at  once, 
because  the  philosophers  would  say  that  the  change  was  so 
sudden  it  would  not  hold  out ;  this  would  be  the  same  kind  of 
reasoning  as  is  used  by  those  who  do  not  believe  in  instanta- 
neous conversion. 

Then  another  class  say  that  they  are  afraid  that  they  will 
not  hold  out.  This  is  a  numerous  and  very  hopeful  class.  I 
like  to  see  a  man  distrust  himself.  It  is  a  good  thing  to  get 
such  to  look  to  God,  and  to  remember  that  it  is  not  he  who 
holds  God,  l)ut  that  it  is  God  who  holds  him.  Some  want  to 
get  hold  of  Christ ;  but  the  thing  is  to  get  Christ  to  take  hold 
of  you  in  answer  to  prayer.  Let  such  read  Psalm  cxxi. ;  "I 
will  lift  up  mine  eyes  unto  the  hills,  from  whence  cometh  my 
help.  My  help  cometh  from  the  Lord,  which  made  heaven 
and  earth.  He  will  not  suffer  thy  foot  to  be  moved  :  He  that 
keepeth  thee  will  not  slumber.  Behold,  He  that  keepeth  Israel 
shall  neither  slumber  nor  sleep.  The  Lord  is  thy  keeper; 
the  Lord  is  thy  shade  upon  thy  right  hand.  The  sun  shall 
not  smite  thee  by  day,  nor  the  moon  by  night.  The  Lord 
shall  preserve  thee  from  all  evil :  He  shall  preserve  thy  soul. 
The  Lord  shall  preserve  thy  going  out  and  thy  coming  in,  from 
this  time  forth,  and  even  for  evermore." 

Some  one  calls  that  the  traveler's  psalm.  It  is  a  beautiful 
psalm  for  those  of  us  who  are  pilgrims  through  this  world ; 
and  one  wdth  which  we  should  be  well  acquainted. 


WORDS  OP  COUNSEL.  57 

God  can  do  what  He  has  done  before.  He  kept  Joseph  in 
Egypt;  Moses  before  Pharaoh;  Daniel  in  Babylon;  and  en- 
abled Elijah  to  stand  before  Ahab  in  that  dark  day.  And  I 
am  BO  thankful  that  these  I  have  mentioned  were  men  of  like 
passions  with  ourselves.  It  was  God  who  made  them  bo 
great.  What  man  wants  is  to  look  to  God.  Keal  true  faith 
is  man's  weakness  leaning  on  God's  strength.  When  man  has 
no  strength,  if  he  leans  on  God  he  becomes  powerful.  The 
trouble  is  that  we  have  too  much  strength  and  confidence  in 
ourselves. 

Again  in  Hebrews  vi.  17,  18  :  *'  Wherein  God,  willing  more 
abundantly  to  show  unto  the  heirs  of  promise  the  immuta- 
bility of  His  counsel,  confirmed  it  by  an  oath  that  by  two  im- 
mutable things,  in  which  it  was  impossible  for  God  to  lie,  we 
might  have  a  strong  consolation,  who  have  fled  for  refuge  to 
lay  hold  upon  the  hope  set  before  us  :  which  hope  we  have  as 
an  anchor  of  the  soul,  both  sure  and  steadfast,  and  which 
entereth  into  that  within  the  vail ;  whither  the  Forerunner  is 
for  us  entered,  even  Jesus,  made  an  high  priest  for  ever  after 
the  order  of  Melchisedec." 

Now  these  are  precious  verses  to  those  who  are  afraid  of 
falling,  who  fear  that  they  will  not  hold  out.  It  is  God's  work 
to  hold.  It  is  the  Shepherd's  business  to  keep  the  sheep. 
Who  ever  heard  of  the  sheep  going  to  bring  back  the  shep- 
herd? People  have  an  idea  that  they  have  to  keep  themselves 
and  Christ  too.  It  is  a  false  idea.  It  is  the  work  of  the 
Sliepherd  to  look  after  them,  and  to  take  care  of  those  who 
trust  Him.  And  He  has  promised  to  do  it.  I  once  heard 
that  when  a  sea  captain  was  dying  he  said,  "Glory  to 
God;  the  anchor  holds."  He  trusted  in  Christ.  His  anchor 
had  taken  hold  of  the  solid  rock.  An  Irishman  said,  on  one 
occasion,  that  "he  trembled;  but  the  Rock  never  did."  We 
want  to  get  sure  footing. 


58  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 


In  2  Timothy  i.  12  Paul  says  :  "I  know  whom  I  have 
beheved,  and  am  persuaded  that  He  is  able  to  keep  that  which 
I  have  committed  unto  Him  against  that  day."  That  was 
Paul's  persuasion. 

During  the  late  war  of  the  rebellion,  one  of  the  chaplain^!, 
going  through  the  hospitals,  came  to  a  man  who  was  dying. 
Finding  that  he  was  a  Christian,  he  asked  to  what  persuasion 
he  belonged,  and  was  told  "  Paul's  persuasion."  "  Is  he  a 
Methodist?"  he  asked;  for  the  Methodists  all  claim  Paul. 
''No."  "Is  he  a  Presbyterian?"  for  the  Presbyterians  lay 
special  claim  to  Paul.  *' No,"  was  the  ansvv^er.  *'Doea  he 
belong  to  the  Episcopal  Church?"  for  all  the  Episcopalian 
brethren  contend  that  they  have  a  claim  to  the  Chief  Apostle. 
"No,"  he  was  not  an  Episcopalian.  "Then,  to  what  per- 
suasion does  he  belong?"  "  I  am  persuaded  that  He  is  able 
to  keep  that  which  I  have  committed  unto  Him  against  that 
day."  It  is  a  grand  persuasion;  and  it  gave  the  dying  soldier 
rest  in  a  dying  hour. 

Let  those  who  fear  that  they  will  not  hold  out  turn  to  the 
24th  verse  of  the  Epistle  of  Jude:  "Now  unto  Him  that  is 
able  to  keep  you  from  falling,  and  to  present  you  faultless  be- 
fore the  presence  of  His  glory  with  exceeding  joy." 

Then  look  at  Isaiah  xli.  10:  "Fear  thou  not;  for  I  am 
with  thee:  be  not  dismayed;  for  I  am  thy  God:  I  will 
strengthen  thee;  yea,  I  will  help  thee;  yea,  I  will  uphold  thee 
with  the  right  hand  of  My  righteousness." 

Then  see  verse  13 :  "  For  I  the  Lord  thy  God  will  hold 
thy  right  hand,  saying  unto  thee,  Fear  not;  I  will  help  thee." 

Now  if  God  has  got  hold  of  ray  right  hand  in  His,  cannot 
He  hold  me  and  keep  me?  Has  not  God  the  power  to  keep? 
The  great  God  who  made  heaven  and  earth  can  keep  a  poor 
sinner  Hke  you  and  like  me  if  we  trust  Him.  To  refrain  from 
feehng  confidence  in  God  for  fear  of  falling — would  be  like  a 


WORDS  OF  COUNSEL.  59 

man  who  refused  a  pardon,  for  fear  that  he  should  get  into 
prison  again;  or  a  drowning  man  who  refused  to  be  rescued, 
for  fear  of  falhng  into  the  water  again. 

Many  men  look  forth  at  the  Christian  life,  and  fear  that 
they  will  not  have  sufficient  strength  to  hold  out  to  the  end. 
They  forget  the  promise  that  "as  thy  days,  thy  strength"  (Deut. 
xxxiii.  25).  It  reminds  me  of  the  pendulum  to  the  clock  which 
grew  disheartened  at  the  thought  of  having  to  travel  so  many 
thousands  of  miles ;  but  when  it  reflected  that  the  distance 
was  to  be  accomplished  by  "tick,  tick,  tick,"  it  took  fresh 
courage  to  go  its  daily  journey.  So  it  is  the  special  privilege 
of  the  Christian  to  commit  himself  to  the  keeping  of  his 
heavenly  Father  and  to  trust  Him  day  by  day.  It  is  a  com- 
forting thing  to  know  that  the  Lord  will  not  begin  the  good 
work  without  also  finishing  it. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  sceptics — one  class  with  honest 
difficulties;  and  another  class  who  delight  only  in  discus- 
sion. I  used  to  think  that  this  latter  class  would  always  be  a 
thorn  in  my  flesh ;  but  they  do  not  prick  me  now.  I  expect 
to  find  them  right  along  the  journey.  Men  of  this  stamp  used 
to  hang  around  Christ  to  entangle  Him  in  His  talk.  They 
come  into  our  meetings  to  hold  a  discussion.  To  all  such  I 
would  commend  Paul's  advice  to  Timothy:  "But  foolish  and 
unlearned  questions  avoid;  knowing  that  they  do  gender 
strifes."  (2  Tim.  ii.  23.)  Unlearned  questions!  Many 
young  converts  make  a  woful  mistake.  They  think  they  are 
to  defend  the  whole  Bible.  I  knew  very  little  of  the  Bible 
when  I  was  first  converted;  and  I  thought  that  I  had  to  defend 
it  from  beginning  to  end  against  all  comers;  but  a  Boston  in- 
fidel got  hold  of  me,  floored  all  my  arguments  at  once,  and 
discouraged  me.  But  I  have  got  over  that  now.  There  are 
many  things  in  the  Word  of  God  that  I  do  not  profess  to 
■understand. 


BO  THE  WA  Y  TO  OOI). 


When  I  am  asked  what  I  do  with  them,  I  say,  "I  don't 
do  anything." 

"How  do  you  explain  them?"     "I  don't  explain  them." 

"What  do  you  do  with  them?"     "Why,  I  heheve  them." 

And  when  I  am  told,  "I  would  not  believe  anything  that  I 
do  not  understand,"  I  simply  reply  that  I  do. 

There  are  many  things  which  were  dark  and  mysterious 
five  years  ago,  on  which  I  have  since  had  a  flood  of  light;  and 
I  expect  to  be  finding  out  something  fresh  about  God  through- 
out eternity.  I  make  a  point  of  not  discussing  disputed  pass- 
ages of  Scripture.  An  old  divine  has  said  that  some  people, 
if  they  want  to  eat  fish,  commence  by  picking  the  bones.  I 
leave  such  things  till  I  have  light  on  them.  I  am  not  bound 
to  explain  what  I  do  not  comprehend.  "The  secret  things 
belong  unto  the  Lord  our  God :  but  those  things  which  are 
revealed  belong  unto  us,  and  to  our  children,  for  ever"  (Deut. 
xxix.  29) ;  and  these  I  take,  and  eat,  and  feed  upon,  in  order 
to  get  spiritual  strength. 

Then  there  is  a  little  sound  advice  in  Titus  iii.  9.  "But 
avoid  foolish  questions,  and  genealogies,  and  contentions,  and 
strivings  about  the  law;  for  they  are  unprofitable  and  vain." 

But  now  here  comes  an  honest  sceptic.  With  him  I  would 
deal  as  tenderly  as  a  mother  with  her  sick  child.  I  have  no 
sympathy  with  those  j)eople  who,  because  a  man  is  sceptical, 
cast  him  off  a,nd  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  him. 

I  was  in  an  Inquiry-meeting,  some  time  ago,  and  I  handed 
over  to  a  Christian  lady,  whom  I  had  known  some  time,  one 
who  was  sceptical.  On  looking  round  soon  after  I  noticed  the 
enquirer  marching  out  of  the  hall.  I  asked,  "Why  have  you 
let  her  go?"  "Oh,  she  is  a  sceptic!"  was  the  reply.  I  ran  to 
the  door  and  got  her  to  stop,  and  introduced  her  to  another 
Christian  worker  who  spent  over  an  hour  in  conversation  and 
prayer  with  her.     He  visited  her  and  her  husband ;  and,  in 


WORDS  OF  COUNSEL.  61 

the  course  of  a  week,  that  intelhgent  lady  cast  off  her  scepti- 
cism and  came  out  an  active  Christian.  It  took  time,  tact, 
and  prayer;  but  if  a  person  of  this  class  is  honest  we  ought  to 
deal  with  such  an  one  as  the  Master  would  have  us. 

Here  are  a  few  passages  for  doubting  enquirers : 

"If  any  man  will  do  His  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doc- 
trine, whether  it  be  of  God,  or  whether  I  speak  of  myself" 
(John  vii.  17).  If  a  man  is  not  willing  to  do  the  will  of  God 
he  will  not  know  the  doctrine.  There  is  no  class  of  sceptics 
who  are  ignorant  of  the  fact  that  God  desires  them  to  give  up 
sin ;  and  if  a  man  is  willing  to  turn  from  sin  and  take  the 
light  and  thank  Him  for  what  He  does  give,  and  not  expect  to 
have  light  on  the  whole  Bible  all  at  once,  he  will  get  more 
light  day  by  day;  make  progress  step  by  step;  and  be  led 
right  out  of  darkness  into  the  clear  light  of  heaven. 

In  Daniel  xii.  10  we  are  told:  "Many  shall  be  purified, 
and  made  white,  and  tried:  but  the  wicked  shall  do  wickedly; 
and  none  of  the  wicked  shall  understand;  but  the  wise  shall 
understand." 

Now  God  will  never  reveal  His  secrets  to  His  enemies. 
Never!  And  if  a  man  persists  in  living  in  sin  he  will  not 
know  the  doctrines  of  God. 

"The  secret  of  the  Lord  is  with  them  that  fear  Him;  and 
Be  will  show  them  His  covenant  "  (Ps.  xxv.  1-1). 

And  in  John  xv.  15  we  read:  "Henceforth  I  call  you  not 
servants;  for  the  servant  knoweth  not  what  his  Lord  doeth  : 
but  I  have  called  you  friends ;  for  all  things  that  I  have  heard 
of  my  Father  I  have  made  known  unto  you."  When  you  be- 
come friends  of  Christ  you  will  know  His  secrets.  The  Lord 
said,  "Shall  I  hide  from  Abraham  the  things  which  I  do?" 
(Gen.  xviii.  17). 

Now  those  who  resemble  God  are  the  most  likely  to  under- 
stand God.     If  a  man  is  not  willing  to  turn  from  sin  he  will 


62  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 


not  know  God's  will,  nor  will  God  reveal  His  secrets  to  him. 
But  if  a  man  is  willing  to  turn  from  sin  be  will  be  surprised 
to  see  bow  tbe  ligbt  will  come  in ! 

I  remember  one  night  when  the  Bible  was  the  driest 
and  darkest  book  in  the  universe  to  me.  The  next  day  it 
became  entirely  different.  I  thought  I  had  the  key  to  it.  I 
had  been  born  of  the  Spirit.  But  before  I  knew  anything  of 
the  mind  of  God  I  had  to  give  up  my  sin.  I  believe  God 
meets  every  soul  on  the  spot  of  self  surrender ;  and  when  they 
are  willing  to  let  Him  guide  and  lead.  The  trouble  with 
many  sceptics  is  their  self-conceit.  They  know  more  thantlie 
Almighty !  and  they  do  not  come  in  a  teachable  spirit.  But 
the  moment  a  man  comes  in  a  receptive  spirit  he  is  blessed; 
for  "If  any  of  joi\  lack  wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God,  that  giveth 
to  all  men  liberally,  and  upbraideth  not;  and  it  shall  be 
given  him  "  (James  i.  5). 


A  DIVINE  SAVIOUR.  63 


CHAPTER   V. 
A  DIVINE  SAVIOUR, 

"  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God." 
(Matthew  xvi.  1.    John  vi.  09.) 

We  meet  with  a  certain  class  of  Enquirers  who  do  not  be- 
lieve in  the  Divinity  of  Christ.  There  are  many  passages  that 
will  give  light  on  this  subject. 

In  1  Corinthians  xv.  47,  we  are  told:  "The  first  man  is 
of  the  earth  earthy:  the  second  man  is  the  Lord  from 
heaven." 

In  1  John  V.  20:  "We  know  that  the  Son  of  God  is  come, 
and  hath  given  us  an  understanding,  that  we  may  know  Him 
that  is  true  ;  and  we  arc  in  Him  that  is  true,  even  in  His  Son 
Jesus  Christ.     This  is  the  true  God,  and  eternal  life." 

Again  in  John  xvii.  3:  "And  this  is  life  eternal,  that  they 
might  know  Thee,  the  only  true  God;  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom 
Thou  hast  sent." 

And  then,  in  Mark  xiv.  60:  "The  high  priest  stood  up  in 
the  midst,  and  asked  Jesus,  saying,  Ans^erest  Thou  nothing? 
What  is  it  which  these  witness  against  thee?  But  He  held 
His  peace,  and  answered  nothing.  Again  the  high  priest 
asked  Him,  and  said  unto  Him,  Art  Thou  the  Christ,  the  Son 
of  the  Blessed?  And  Jesus  said,  I  am  :  and  ye  shall  see  the 
Son  of  Man  sitting  on  the  right  hand  of  power,  and  coming  in 
the  clouds  of  heaven.  Then  the  high  priest  rent  his  clothes, 
and  saith.  What  need  we  any  further  witnesses?  Ye  have 
heard  the  blasphemy:  what  think  ye?  And  they  all  con- 
demned Him  to  be  guilty  of  death," 


64  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 


Now  what  brought  me  to  beHeve  in  the  Divinity  of  Christ 
was  this :  I  did  not  Jinow  where  to  place  Christ,  or  what  to 
do  with  Him,  if  He  were  not  divine.  When  I  was  a  boy  I 
thought  that  He  was  a  good  man  hke  Moses,  Joseph,  or  Abra- 
ham. I  even  thought  that  He  was  the  best  man  who  had  ever 
lived  on  the  earth.  But  I  found  that  Christ  had  a  higher 
claim.  He  claimed  to  be  God-Man,  to  be  divine;  to  have 
come  from  heaven.  He  said  :  "Before  Abraham  was  I  am  " 
(John  viii.  68).  I  could  not  understand  this;  and  I  was 
driven  to  the  conclusion— and  I  challenge  any  candid  man  to 
deny  the  inference,  or  meet  the  argument — that  Jesus  Christ 
is  either  an  impostor  or  deceiver,  or  He  is  the  God-Man — God 
manifest  in  the  flesh.  And  for  these  reasons.  The  first  com- 
mandment is,  "Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods  before  Me" 
(Exod.  XX.  2).  Look  at  the  millions  throughout  Christendom 
who  worship  Jesus  Christ  as  God.  If  Christ  be  not  God  this 
is  idolatry.  We  are  all  guilty  of  breaking  the  first  command- 
ment if  Jesus  Christ  were  mere  man — if  He  were  a  created 
being,  and  not  what  He  claims  to  be. 

Some  people,  who  do  not  admit  His  divinity,  say  that  He 
was  the  best  man  who  ever  lived;  but  if  He  were  not  Divine, 
for  that  very  reason  He  ought  not  to  be  reckoned  a  good  man,  for 
He  laid  claim  to  an  honor  and  dignity  to  which  these  very 
people  declare  He  had  no  rigbt  or  title.  That  would  rank  Him 
as  a  deceiver. 

Others  say  that  He  thought  He  was  divine,  but  that  He 
was  deceived.  As  if  Jesus  Christ  were  carried  away  by  a  de- 
lupion  and  deception,  and  thought  that  He  was  more  than  He 
was !  I  could  not  conceive  of  a  lower  idea  of  Jesus  Christ  than 
that.  This  would  not  only  make  Him  out  an  impostor;  but 
that  He  was  out  of  His  mind,  and  that  He  did  not  know  who 
He  was,  or  where  He  came  from.     Now  if  Jesus  Christ  was 


A  DIVINE  SAVIOUR.  65 

not  what  He  claimed  to  be,  the  Saviour  of  the  world ;  and  if 
He  did  not  come  from  heaven,  He  was  a  gross  deceiver. 

But  how  can  any  one  read  the  life  of  Jesus  Christ  and 
make  Him  out  a  deceiver  ?  A  man  has  generally  some  motive 
ior  being  an  impostor.  What  was  Christ's  motive?  He  knew 
fhat  the  course  He  was  pursuing  would  conduct  Him  to  the 
cross;  that  His  name  would  be  cast  out  as  vile;  and  that 
many  of  His  followers  would  be  called  upon  to  lay  dov/n  their 
lives  for  His  sake.  Nearly  every  one  of  the  apostles  were 
martyrs ;  and  they  were  considered  as  off-scouring  and  refuse 
in  the  midst  of  the  people.  If  a  man  is  an  impostor,  he  has  a 
motive  at  the  back  of  his  hypocrisy.  But  what  was  Christ's 
object?  The  record  is  that  "He  went  about  doing  good." 
This  is  not  the  work  of  an  impostor.  Do  not  let  the  enemy  of 
your  soul  deceive  you. 

In  John  V.  21  we  read  :  "For  as  the  Father  raiseth  up  the 
dead,  and  quickeneth  them;  even  so  the  Son  quickeneth  whom 
He  vrill.  For  the  Father  judgeth  no  man,  but  hath  commit- 
ted all  judgment  unto  the  Son  :  that  all  men  should  honor 
the  Son,  even  as  they  honor  the  Father.  He  that  honoureth 
not  the  Son,  honoureth  not  the  Father  which  hath  sent 
Him." 

Now,  notice :  by  the  Jewish  law  if  a  man  were  a  blas- 
phemer he  was  to  be  put  to  death ;  and  supposing  Christ  to  be 
merely  human  if  this  be  not  blasphemy  I  do  not  know  where 
you  will  find  it.  ''  He  that  honoureth  not  the  Son,  honoureth 
not  the  Father."  That  is  downright  blasphemy  if  Christ  be 
not  divine.  If  Moses,  or  Elijah,  or  Elisha,  or  any  other 
mortal  had  said,  **  You  must  honour  me  as  you  honour  God;" 
and  had  put  himself  on  a  level  with  God,  it  would  have  been 
downright  blasphemy. 

The  Jews  put  Christ  to  death  because  they  said  that  He 
was  not  what  He  claimed  to  be.     It  was  on  that  testimony  He 


66  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

was  put  under  oath.  The  high  priest  said  :  "  I  adjure  Thee 
by  the  hving  God,  that  Thou  tell  us  whether  Thou  be  the 
Christ,  the  Son  of  God  "  (Matt.  xxvi.  63).  And  when  the 
Jews  came  round  Him  and  said,  "  How  long  dost  Thou  make 
us  to  doubt?  If  Thou  be  the  Christ  tell  us  plainly."  Jesus 
said,  "I  and  My  Father  are  one."  Then  the  Jews  took  iip 
stones  again  to  stone  Him.  (John  x.  24 — 33.)  They  said 
they  did  not  want  to  hear  more,  for  that  was  blasphemy.  It 
was  for  declaring  Himself  to  be  the  Son  of  God  that  He  was 
condemned  and  put  to  death.     (Matt.  xxvi.  63 — 66). 

Now  if  Jesus  Christ  were  mere  man  the  Jews  did  right, 
according  to  their  law,  in  putting  Him  to  death.  In  Leviticus 
xxiv.  16,  we  read:  *' And  he  that  blasphemeth  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  he  shall  surely  be  put  to  death,  and  all  the  congre- 
gation shall  certainly  stone  him :  as  well  the  stranger,  as  he 
that  is  born  in  the  land,  when  he  blasphemeth  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  shall  be  put  to  death." 

This  lav/  obliged  them  to  put  to  death  every  one  who  blas- 
phemed. It  was  making  the  statement  that  He  was  divine 
that  cost  Him  His  life;  and  by  the  Mosaic  law  He  ought  to 
have  suffered  the  death  penalty.  In  John  xvi.  15,  Christ  says, 
"All  things  that  the  Father  hath  are  Mine  :  therefore  said  I, 
that  He  shall  take  of  Mine,  and  shall  show  it  unto  you."  How 
could  He  be  merely  a  good  man  and  use  language  as  that? 

No  doubt  has  ever  entered  my  mind  on  the  point  since  I 
was  converted. 

A  notorious  sinner  was  once  asked  how  he  could  prove  the 
divinity  of  Christ.  His  answer  was,  "  Why,  He  has  saved  me ; 
and  that  is  a  pretty  good  proof,  is  it  not?" 

An  infidel  on  one  occasion  said  to  me,  "  I  have  been  study- 
ing the  life  of  John  the  Baptist,  Mr.  Moody.  Why  don't  you 
preach  him?  He  was  a  greater  character  than  Christ.  You 
would  do  ^  greater  vork."    %  said  to  hini,  "My  frienu,  (^ou 


A  DIVINE  SAVIOUR.  67 

preach  John  the  Baptist;  and  I  will  follow  you  and  preach 
Christ:  and  we  will  see  who  will  do  the  most  good."  "You 
will  do  the  most  good,"  he  said,  "because  the  people  are  so 
superstitious."  Ah!  John  was  belieaded;  and  his  disciples 
begged  his  body  and  buried  it :  but  Christ  has  risen  from  the 
dead;  He  has  "ascended  on  high;  He  has  led  captivity  cap- 
tive; and  received  gifts  for  men."     Ps.  Ixviii.  18,) 

Our  Christ  lives.  Many  people  have  not  found  out  that 
Christ  has  risen  from  the  grave.  They  worship  a  dead 
Saviour,  hke  Mary,  who  said,  "They  have  taken  away  my 
Lord;  and  I  know  not  where  they  have  laid  Him."  (John 
XX.  13.)  That  is  the  trouble  with  those  who  doubt  the  divinity 
of  our  Lord. 

Then  look  at  Matthew  xviii.  20.  "Where  two  or  three  are 
gathered  together  in  My  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of 
them."  "There  AM  L"  Well  now,  if  He  is  a  mere  man,  how 
can  He  be  there?     All  these  are  strong  passages. 

Again  in  Matthew  xxviii.  18.  "And  Jesus  came  and  spake 
unto  them,  caying,  ''  All  power  is  given  unto  Me  in  heaven  and 
in  earth."  Could  He  be  a  mere  man  and  talk  in  that  way? 
"All  power  is  given  unto  Me  in  heaven  and  in  earth!" 

Then  again  in  Matthew  xxviii.  20,  "  Teaching  them  to 
observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you;  and,  lo, 
I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world."  If 
He  w^ere  mere  man,  how  could  He  be  with  us?  Yet  He  says, 
*'  I  am  mth  you  alv/ay,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world!" 

Then  again  in  Mark  ii.  7.  "  Why  doth  this  Man  thus 
speak  blasphemies?  who  can  forgive  sins  but  God  only?  And 
immediately  when  Jesus  perceived  in  His  Spirit  that  they  rea- 
soned within  themselves,  He  said  unto  them.  Why  reason  ye 
these  things  in  your  hearts?  Whether  is  it  easier  to  say 
to  the  sick  of  the  palsy,  Thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee,  or  to 
Gay,  Arise,  and  take  up  thy  bed  and  walk?" 


68  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

Some  men  will  meet  you  and  say,  "  Did  not  Elisha  also 
raise  the  dead?"  Notice  that  in  the  rare  instances  in  which 
men  have  raised  the  dead,  they  did  it  by  the  power  of  God. 
They  called  on  God  to  do  it.  But  when  Christ  was  on  earth 
He  did  not  call  upon  the  Father  to  bring  the  dead  to  life, 
When  He  went  to  the  house  of  Jairus  He  said,  "Damsel,  / 
say  unto  thee.  Arise."     (Mark  v.  41.) 

He  had  power  to  impart  life.  When  they  were  carrying 
the  young  man  out  of  Nain  He  had  compassion  on  the  wid- 
owed mother  and  came  and  touched  the  bier  and  said,  "Young 
man,  I  say  unto  thee.  Arise."     (Luke  vii.  14.) 

He  spake;  and  the  dead  arose. 

And  when  He  raised  Lazarus  He  called  with  a  loud  voice, 
*•  Lazarus,  come  forth!"  (John  xi.  43.)  And  Lazarus  heard, 
and  came  forth. 

Some  one  has  said.  It  was  a  good  thing  that  Lazarus  was 
mentioned  by  name,  or  all  the  dead  within  the  sound  of 
Christ's  voice  would  immediately  have  risen. 

Li  John  V.  25,  Jesus  says :  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto 
you,  The  hour  is  coming,  and  now  is,  when  the  dead  shall  hear 
the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God;  and  they  that  hear  shall  live." 
What  blasphemy  would  this  have  been,  had  He  not  been 
divine !  The  proof  is  overwhelming,  if  you  will  but  examine 
the  Word  of  God. 

And  then  another  thing — no  good  man  except  Jesus  Christ 
has  ever  allowed  anybody  to  worship  him.  When  this  was 
done  He  never  rebuked  the  worshiper.  In  John  ix.  38,  we 
read  that  when  the  blind  man  was  found  by  Christ  he  said, 
"Lord,  I  believe.  And  he  worshiped  Him."  The  Lord  did 
not  rebuke  him. 

Then  again,  Revelation  xxii.  6,  runs  thus:  "  And  he  said 
unto  me.  These  things  are  faithful  and  true;  and  the  Lord 
God  of  the  holy  prophets  sent  His  angel  to  show  unto  His 


A  DIVINE  SAVIOUR.  69 

serrants  the  things  which  must  shortly  be  done.  Behold,  I 
come  quickly:  blessed  is  he  that  keepeth  the  sayings  of  the 
prophecy  of  this  book.  And  I  John  saw  these  things  and 
heard  them.  And  v/hen  I  had  heard  and  seen,  I  fell  down  to 
v/orship  before  the  feet  of  the  angel  which  showed  me  these 
things.  Then  saith  He  unto  me,  See  thou  do  it  not;  for  I  am 
thy  fellow-servant  and  of  thy  brethren  the  prophets,  and  of 
them  which  keep  the  sayings  of  this  book;  worship  God.'" 

We  see  here  that  even  that  angel  would  not  allow  John  to 
worship  him.  Even  an  angel  from  heaven !  And  if  Gabriel 
came  down  here  from  the  presence  of  God  it  would  be  a  sin 
to  worship  him,  or  any  seraph,  or  any  cherub,  or  Michael,  or 
any  archangel. 

'  Worship  God!"  And  if  Jesus  Chist  were  not  God  mani- 
fest in  the  flesh  we  are  guilty  of  idolatry  in  worshiping  Him. 
In  Matthew  xiv.  33,  we  read  :  "  Then  they  that  were  in  the 
ship  came  and  icorshiped  Him,  saying,  Of  a  truth  Thou  art  the 
Son  of  God."     He  did  not  rebuke  them. 

And  in  Matthew  viii.  2,  we  also  read:  "And,  behold, 
there  came  a  leper  and  ivorshiped  Him,  saying.  Lord,  if  Thou 
wilt.  Thou  canst  make  me  clean." 

In  Matthew  xv.  25  :  "  Then  came  she,  and  worshiped  Him, 
saying,  Lord,  help  me!" 

There  are  many  other  passages;  but  I  give  these  as  suffi- 
cient in  my  opinion  to  prove  beyond  any  doubt  the  Divinity 
of  our  Lord. 

In  the  14th  chapter  of  Acts  we  are  told  the  heathen  of 
Lystra  came  with  garlands  and  would  have  done  sacrifice  to 
Paul  and  Barnabas  because  they  had  cured  an  impotent  man ; 
but  the  evangelists  rent  their  clothes  and  told  these  Lystrans 
that  they  were  but  men,  and  not  to  be  worshipped;  as  if  it 
were  a  great  sin.  And  if  Jesus  Christ  is  a  mere  man,  we  are 
all  guilty  of  a  great  sin  in  worshipping  Him. 


76  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

But  if  He  is,  as  we  believe,  the  only-begotten  and  well- 
beloved  Son  of  God,  let  us  yield  to  His  claims  upon  us;  let  us 
rest  on  His  all-atoning  work,  and  go  forth  to  serve  Him  all  the 
days  of  our  life. 


REPENTAlTCE  AND  RESTITUTION.  71 


CHAPTER  VI. 
REPENTANCE  AND  RESTITUTION. 

"  God  commandeth  all  men  everywhere  to  repent.  "—Acts  xvii.  30. 

Eepentance  is  one  of  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  the 
Bible.  Yet  I  believe  it  is  one  of  those  truths  that  many 
people  little  understand  at  the  present  day.  There  are  more 
people  to-day  in  the  mist  and  darkness  about  Eepentance, 
Regeneration,  the  Atonement,  and  such-like  fundamental 
truths,  than  perhaps  on  any  other  doctrines.  Yet  from  our 
earliest  years  we  have  heard  about  them.  If  I  were  to  ask 
for  a  definition  of  Repentance,  a  great  many  would  give  a  very 
strange  and  false  idea  of  it. 

A  man  is  not  prepared  to  believe  or  to  receive  the  Gospel, 
unless  he  is  ready  to  repent  of  his  sins  and  turn  from  them. 
Until  John  the  Baptist  met  Christ,  he  had  but  one  text,  "Re- 
pent ye;  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand"  (Matt.  iii.  2). 
But  if  he  had  continued  to  say  this,  and  had  stopped  there 
without  pointing  the  people  to  Christ  the  Lamb  of  God,  he 
would  not  have  accomplished  much. 

When  Christ  came,  He  took  up  the  same  wilderness  cry, 
"Repent;  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand"  (Matt.  iv. 
17).  And  when  our  Lord  sent  out  His  disciples,  it  was  with 
the  same  message,  "that  men  should  repent"  (Mark  vi.  12). 
After  He  had  been  glorified,  and  when  the  Holy  Ghost  came 
down,  we  find  Peter  on  the  day  of  Pentecost  raising  the  same 
cry,  "Repent!"  It  was  this  preaching — Repent,  and  believe 
the  Gospel — that  wrought  such  marvellous  results  then. 
(Acts  ii.   38 — 47).     And   we   find   that,  when  Paul   went  to 


72  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

Athens,  he  uttered  the  same  cry,  "  Now  God  coramandeth  all 
men,  everywhere,  to  repent"  (Acts  xvii.  30). 

Before  I  speak  of  what  Eepentance  is,  let  me  briefly  say 
what  it  is  not.  Eepentance  is  not  fear.  Many  people  have 
confounded  the  two.  They  think  they  have  to  be  alarmed 
and  terrified;  and  they  are  waiting  for  some  kind  of  fear  to 
come  down  upon  them.  But  multitudes  become  alarmed  who 
do  not  really  repent.  You  have  heard  of  men  at  sea  during  a 
terrible  storm.  Perhaps  they  have  been  very  profane  men; 
but  when  the  danger  came  they  suddenly  grew  quiet,  and  be- 
gan to  cry  to  God  for  mercy.  Yet  you  would  not  say  they 
repented.  When  the  storm  had  passed  away,  they  went  on 
swearing  the  same  as  before.  You  might  think  that  the  king 
of  Egypt  repented  when  God  sent  the  terrible  plagues  upon 
him  and  his  land.  But  it  was  not  repentance  at  all.  The 
moment  God's  hand  was  removed  Pharaoh's  heart  was  harder 
than  ever.  He  did  not  turn  from  a  single  sin ;  he  was  the 
same  man.     So  that  there  was  no  true  repentance  there. 

Often,  when  death  comes  into  a  family,  it  looks  as  if  the 
event  would  be  sanctified  to  the  conversion  of  all  who  are  in 
the  house.  Yet  in  six  months'  time  all  may  be  forgotten. 
Some  who  read  this  have  perhaps  passed  through  that  experi- 
ence. When  God's  hand  was  heavy  upon  them  it  looked  as  if 
they  were  going  to  repent;  but  the  trial  has  been  removed — 
and  lo  and  behold,  the  impression  has  all  gone. 

Then  again,  Eepentance  is  not  feeling.  I  find  a  great 
many  people  are  waiting  for  a  certain  kind  of  feeling  to  come. 
They  would  like  to  turn  to  God ;  but  think  they  cannot  do  it 
until  this  feeling  comes.  When  I  was  in  Baltimore  I  used  to 
preach  every  Sunday  in  the  Penitentiary  to  nine  hundred  con- 
victs. There  was  hardly  a  man  there  who  did  not  feel  miser- 
able enough :  they  had  plenty  of  feeling.  For  the  first  week 
or  ten  days  of  their  imprisonment  many  of  them  cried  half 


REPENTANCE  AND  RESTITUTION.  1^ 

the  time.  Yet,  ^vhen  they  were  released,  most  of  them  would 
go  right  hack  to  their  old  ways.  The  truth  was,  that  they  felt 
very  had  hecause  they  had  got  caught;  that  was  all.  So  you 
have  seen  a  man  in  the  time  of  trial  show  a  good  deal  of  feel- 
ing :  but  very  often  it  is  only  because  he  has  got  into  trouble; 
not  because  he  has  committed  sin,  or  because  his  conscience 
tells  him  he  has  done  evil  in  the  sight  of  God.  It  seems  as  if 
the  trial  were  going  to  result  in  true  repentance;  but  the  feel- 
ing too  often  passes  av/ay. 

Once  again,  Repentance  is  not  fasting  and  afflicting  the  body. 
A  man  may  fast  for  weeks  and  months  and  years,  and  yet  not 
repent  of  one  sin.  Neither  is  it  remorse.  Judas  had  terrible 
remorse — enough  to  make  him  go  and  hang  himself;  but  that 
was  not  repentance.  I  believe  if  he  had  gone  to  his  Lord, 
fallen  on  his  face,  and  confessed  his  sin,  he  would  have  been 
forgiven.  Instead  of  this  he  went  to  the  priests,  and  then  put 
an  end  to  his  life.  A  man  may  do  all  sorts  of  penance — but 
there  is  no  true  repentance  in  that.  Put  that  down  in  your 
mind.  You  cannot  meet  the  claims  of  God  by  offering  the 
fruit  of  your  body  for  the  sin  of  your  soul.  Away  with  such 
a  delusion ! 

Eepentance  is  not  conviction  of  sin.  That  may  sound 
strange  to  some.  I  have  seen  men  under  such  deep  conviction 
of  sin  that  they  could  not  sleep  at  night;  they  could  not  enjoy 
a  single  meal.  They  went  on  for  months  in  this  state ;  and 
yet  they  were  not  converted;  they  did  not  truly  repent.  Do 
not  confound  conviction  of  sin  with  Repentance. 

Neither  is  2'^raying — Repentance.  That  too  may  sound 
strange.  Many  people,  when  they  become  anxious  about 
their  soul's  salvation,  say,  "I  will  pray,  and  read  the  Bible;" 
and  they  think  that  will  bring  about  the  desired  effect. 
But  it  will  not  do  it.     You  may  read  the  Bible  and  cry  to  God 


74  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

a  great  deal,  and  yet  never  repent.  Many  people  cry  loudly  to 
God,  and  yet  do  not  repent. 

Another  thing  :  it  is  not  breaking  off  some  one  sin.  A  great 
many  people  make  that  mistake.  A  man  who  has  been  a 
drunkard  signs  the  pledge,  and  stops  drinking.  Breaking  off 
one  sin  is  not  Eepentance.  Forsaking  one  vice  is  like  break- 
ing off  one  limb  of  a  tree,  when  the  whole  tree  has  to  come 
down.  A  profane  man  stops  swearing;  very  good  :  but  if  he 
does  not  break  oQfroin  every  sin  it  is  not  Repentance — it  is  not 
the  work  of  God  in  the  soul.  When  God  works  He  hews 
down  the  whole  tree.  He  wants  to  have  a  man  turn  from 
every  sin.  Supposing  I  am  in  a  vessel  out  at  sea,  and  I  find 
the  ship  leaks  in  three  or  four  places.  I  may  go  and  stop  up 
one  hole;  yet  down  goes  the  vessel.  Or  suppose  I  am 
wounded  in  three  or  four  places,  and  I  get  a  remedy  for  one 
wound :  if  the  other  two  or  three  wounds  are  neglected,  my 
life  will  soon  be  gone.  True  Repentance  is  not  merely  break- 
ing off  this  or  that  particular  sin. 

Well  then,  you  will  ask,  what  is  Repentance?  I  will  give 
you  a  good  definition:  it  is  "right  about  face!"  In  the  Irish 
language  the  word  "Repentance"  means  even  more  than 
"right  about  face ! "  It  implies  that  a  man  who  has  been  walk- 
ing in  one  direction  has  not  only  faced  about,  but  is  actually 
walking  in  an  exactly  contrary  direction.  "Turn  ye,  turn  ye; 
for  why  will  ye  die?"  A  man  may  have  little  feeling  or  much 
feeling;  but  if  he  do  not  turn  away  from  sin,  God  will  not 
have  mercy  on  him.  Repentance  has  also  been  described  as 
"a  change  of  mind."  For  instance,  there  is  the  parable  told 
by  Christ;  "A  certain  man  had  two  sons;  and  he  came  to  the 
first,  and  said,  Son,  go  work  to-day  in  my  vineyard.  He 
answered  and  said,  I  will  not"  (Matt.  xxi.  28,  29).  After  he 
had  said  "I  will  not"  he  thought  over  it,  and  changed  his 
mind.     Perhaps  he  may  have  said  to  himself,  "I  did  not  speak 


Hepentance  and  restitution,  'fS 

very  respectfully  to  my  father.  He  asked  me  to  go  and  work, 
and  I  told  him  I  would  not  go.  I  think  I  was  wrong."  But 
suppose  he  had  only  said  this,  and  still  had  not  gone,  he  would 
not  have  repented.  He  was  not  only  convinced  that  he  was 
wrong;  but  he  went  off  into  the  fields,  hoeing,  or  mowing  or 
whatever  it  was.  That  is  Christ's  definition  of  repentance.  If 
a  man  says,  "By  the  grace  of  God  I  will  forsake  my  sin,  and 
do  His  will,"  that  is  Repentance — a  turning  right  about. 

Some  one  has  said,  man  is  born  with  his  face  turned  away 
from  God.  When  he  truly  repents  he  is  turned  right  around 
towards  God;  he  leaves  his  old  life. 

Can  a  man  at  once'  repent?  Certainly  he  can.  It  does 
not  take  a  long  while  to  turn  around.  It  does  not  take 
a  man  six  months  to  change  his  mind.  There  was  a  vessel 
that  went  down  some  time  ago  on  the  Newfoundland 
coast.  As  she  was  bearing  towards  the  shore,  there  was  a 
moment  when  the  captain  could  have  given  orders  to  reverse 
the  engines  and  turn  back.  If  the  engines  had  been  reversed 
then,  the  ship  would  ha,ve  been  saved.  But  there  was  a 
moment  when  it  was  too  late.  So  there  is  a  moment,  I 
believe,  in  every  man's  life  when  he  can  halt  and  say,  "By  the 
grace  of  God  I  will  go  no  further  towards  death  and  ruin.  I 
repent  of  my  sins  and  turn  from  them."  You  may  say  you 
have  not  got  feeling  enough;  but  if  you  are  convinced  that  you 
are  on  the  wrong  road,  turn  right  about,  and  say,  "I  will  no 
longer  go  on  in  the  way  of  rebellion  and  sin  as  I  have  done." 

Just  then,  when  you  are  willing  to  turn  towards  God,  sal- 
vation may  be  yours. 

I  find  that  every  case  of  conversion  recorded  in  the  Bible 
was  instantaneous.  Rejientance  and  faith  came  very  suddenly. 
The  moment  a  man  made  up  his  mind,  God  gave  him  the 
power.  God  does  not  ask  any  man  to  do  what  he  has  not  the 
power  to  do.     He  would  not  "command  all  men  everywhere 


76  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 


to  repent"  (Acts  xvii.  30)  if  they  were  not  able  to  do  so.  Man 
has  no  one  to  blame  but  himself  if  he  does  not  repent  and 
believe  the  Gospel.  One  of  the  leading  ministers  of  the  Gos- 
pel in  Ohio  wrote  me  a  letter  some  time  ago  describing  his 
conversion ;  it  very  forcibly  illustrates  this  point  of  instanta- 
neous decision.     He  said : 

"I  was  nineteen  years  old,  and  was  reading  law  with  a 
Christian  lawyer  in  Vermont.  One  afternoon  when  he  was 
away  from  home,  his  good  wife  said  to  me  as  I  came  into  the 
house,  'I  want  you  to  go  to  class-meeting  with  me  to-night 
and  become  a  Christian,  so  that  you  can  conduct  family  v/or- 
ship  while  my  husband  is  away.'  'Well,  I'll  do  it,'  I  said, 
without  any  thought.  When  I  came  into  the  house  again  she 
asked  me  if  I  was  honest  in  what  I  had  said.  I  replied,  'Yes, 
so  far  as  going  to  meeting  v/ith  you  is  concerned ;  that  is  only 
courteous.' 

"I  went  with  her  to  the  class-meeting,  as  I  had  often  done 
before.  About  a  dozen  persons  were  present  in  a  little  school- 
house.  The  leader  had  spoken  to  all  in  the  room  but  myself 
and  two  others.  He  was  speaking  to  the  person  next  me, 
when  the  thought  occurred  to  me :  he  will  ask  me  if  I  have 
anything  to  say.  I  said  to  myself;  I  have  decided  to  be  a 
Christian  sometime;  why  not  begin  now?  In  less  time  than 
a  minute  after  these  thoughts  had  passed  through  my  mind  he 
said,  speaking  to  me  familiarly — for  he  knew  me  very  well — 
'Brother  Charles,  have  you  anything  to  say?  I  replied,  with 
perfect  coolness,  'Yes,  sir.  I  have  just  decided,  within  the  last 
thirty  seconds,  that  I  will  begin  a  Christian  life,  and  would 
Hke  to  have  you  pray  for  me  ' 

"My  coolness  staggered  him;  I  think  he  almost  doubted 
my  sincerity.  He  said  very  little,  but  passed  on  and  spoke 
to  the  other  two.  After  a  few  general  remarks,  he  turned  to 
me  and  said,  'Brother  Charles,  will  you   close  the  meeting 


REPENTANCE  AND  RESTITUTION.  77 

with  prayer?'  He  knew  I  had  never  prayed  in  pubHc.  Up  to 
this  moment  I  had  no  feehng.  It  was  purely  a  business  tran- 
saction. My  first  thought  was :  I  cannot  pray,  and  I  will  ask 
him  to  excuse  me.  My  second  was  :  I  have  said  I  will  begin 
a  Christian  life;  and  this  is  a  part  of  it.  So  I  said,  'Let  us 
pray.'  And  somewhere  between  the  time  I  started  to  kneel 
and  the  time  my  knees  struck  the  floor  the  Lord  converted  my 
soul. 

"The  first  words  I  said  were,  'Glory  to  God!'  What  I 
said  after  that  I  do  not  know,  and  it  does  not  matter,  for  my 
soul  was  too  full  to  say  much  but  '  Glory!'  From  that  hour 
the  devil  has  never  dared  to  challenge  my  conversion.  To 
Christ  be  all  the  praise." 

Many  people  are  waiting,  they  cannot  exactly  tell  for  what, 
but  for  some  sort  of  miraculous  feeling  to  come  stealing  over 
them— some  mysterious  kind  of  faith.  I  was  speaking  to  a 
man  some  years  ago,  and  he  always  had  one  answer  to  give 
me.  For  five  years  I  tried  to  win  him  to  Christ,  and  every 
year  he  said,  "It  has  not  '  struck  me  '  yet."  "Man,  what  do 
you  mean?  What  has  not  struck  you?"  "Well,  "  he  said, 
"I  am  not  going  to  become  a  Christian  until  it  strikes  me ;  and 
it  has  not  struck  me  yet.  I  do  not  see  it  in  the  way  you  see 
it."  "But  don't  you  knov/  you  are  a  sinner?"  "Yes,  I  know 
I  am  a  sinner."  "Well,  don't  you  know  that  God  wants  to 
have  mercy  on  you — that  there  is  forgiveness  with  God?  Ho 
wants  you  to  repent  and  come  to  Him."  "Yes,  I  know  that; 
but — it  has  not  struck  me  yet."  He  always  fell  back  on  that. 
Poor  man !  he  went  down  to  his  grave  in  a  state  of  indecision. 
Sixty  long  years  God  gave  him  to  re})ent;  and  all  he  had  to 
say  at  the  end  of  those  years  was  that  it  "had  not  struck  him 

yet." 

Is  any  reader  waiting  for  some  strange  feeling — you  do 
not  know  what?  Nowhere  in  the  Bible  is  a  man  told  to  wait; 
God  is  commanding  you  now  to  repent. 


78  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

Do  you  think  God  can  forgive  a  man  when  he  does  not 
want  to  be  forgiven  ?  Would  he  be  happy  if  God  forgave  him 
in  this  state  of  mind?  Why,  if  a  man  went  into  the  kingdom 
of  God  without  repentance,  heaven  would  be  hell  to  him. 
Heaven  is  a  prepared  place  for  a  prepared  people.  If  your 
boy  has  done  wrong,  and  will  not  repent,  you  cannot  forgive 
him.  You  would  be  doing  him  an  injustice.  Suppose  he 
goes  to  your  desk,  and  steals  $10,  and  squanders  it.  When 
you  come  home  your  servant  tells  you  what  your  boy  has  done. 
You  ask  if  it  is  true,  and  he  denies  it.  But  at  last  you  have 
certain  proof.  Even  when  he  finds  he  cannot  deny  it  any 
longer,  he  will  not  confess  the  sin,  but  says  he  will  do  it  again 
the  first  chance  he  gets.  Would  you  say  to  him,  "Well,  1 
forgive  you,"  and  leave  the  matter  there?  No!  Yet  people 
say  that  God  is  going  to  save  all  men,  whether  they  repent  or 
not — drunkards,  thieves,  harlots,  whoremongers,  it  makes  no 
difference.  "God  is  so  merciful,"  they  say.  Dear  friend,  do 
not  be  deceived  by  the  god  of  this  world.  Where  there  is  true 
repentance  and  a  turning  from  sin  unto  God,  Ho  will  meet 
and  bless  you;  but  He  never  blesses  until  there  is  sincere  re- 
pentance. 

David  made  a  woful  mistake  in  this  respect  with  his  rebel- 
lious son,  Absalom.  He  could  not  have  done  his  son  a  greater 
injustice  than  to  forgive  him  when  his  heart  was  unchanged. 
There  could  be  no  true  reconcilliation  between  them  when 
there  was  no  repentance.  But  God  does  not  make  these  mis- 
takes. David  got  into  trouble  on  account  of  his  error  of  judg- 
ment.    His  son  soon  drove  his  father  from  the  throne. 

Speaking  on  repentance.  Dr.  Brooks,  of  St.  Louis,  well 
remarks:  "Eepentance,  strictly  speaking,  means  a  'change 
of  mind  or  purpose;*  consequently  it  is  the  judgment  which 
the  sinner  pronounces  upon  himself,  in  view  of  the  love  of 
(3^od  displayed  in  the  death  of  Christ,  counected  with  tha 


REPENTANCE  AND  RESTITUTION,  79 

abandonment  of  all  confidence  in  himself  and  with  trust  in 
the  only  Saviour  of  sinners.  Sa\dng  repentance  and  saving 
faith  always  go  together;  and  you  need  not  be  worried  about 
repentance  if  you  will  believe." 

"Some  people  are  no  sure  that  they  have  *  repented  enough.' 
If  you  mean  by  this  that  you  must  repent  in  order  to  incline 
God  to  be  merciful  to  you,  the  sooner  you  give  over  such  re- 
pentance the  better.  God  is  already  merciful,  as  He  has  fully 
shown  at  the  Cross  of  Calvary;  and  it  is  a  grievous  dishonor 
to  His  heart  of  love  if  you  think  that  your  tears  and  anguish 
will  move  Him,  'not  knowing  that  the  goodness  of  God 
leadeth  thee  to  repentance.'  It  is  not  your  badness,  therefore, 
but  His  goodness  that  leads  to  repentance;  hence  the  true 
way  to  repent  is  to  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  *  who 
was  delivered  for  our  offences,  and  was  raised  again  for  our 
justification.'  " 

Another  thing.  If  there  is  true  repentance  it  will  bring 
forth  fruit.  If  we  have  done  wrong  to  any  one  we  should 
never  ask  God  to  forgive  us,  until  we  are  willing  to  make  res- 
titution. If  I  have  done  any  man  a  great  injustice  and  can 
make  it  good,  I  need  not  ask  God  to  forgive  me  until  I  am 
willing  to  make  it  good.  Suppose  I  have  taken  something 
that  does  not  belong  to  me.  I  have  no  right  to  expect  forgive. 
ness  until  I  make  restitution. 

I  remember  preaching  in  one  of  our  large  cities,  when  a 
fine-looking  man  came  up  to  me  at  the  close.  He  was  in  great 
cUstrcss  of  mind.  "The  fact  is,"  he  said,  "I  am  a  defaulter. 
I  have  taken  money  that  belonged  to  my  employers.  How  can 
I  become  a  Christian  without  restoring  it?"  "  Have  you  got 
the  money?"  He  told  me  he  had  not  got  it  all.  He  had  taken 
about  §1,500,  and  he  still  had  about  §900.  He  said,  '•  Could 
I  not  take  that  money  and  go  into  business,  and  make  enough 
tQ  pay  them  back?"    I  told  him  that  was  a  delusion  of  Satan; 


80  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

that  he  could  not  expect  to  prosper  on  stolen  money ;  that  he 
should  restore  all  he  had,  and  go  and  ask  his  employers  to 
have  mercy  upon  him  and  forgive  him.  "But  they  will  put 
me  in  prison,"  he  said:  "cannot  you  give  me  any  help?" 
"No,  you  must  restore  the  money  before  you  can  expect  to  get 
any  help  from  God."  ''It  is  pretty  hard,"  he  said.  **  Yes,  it 
is  hard;  but  the  great  mistake  was  in  doing  the  wrong  at 
first." 

His  burden  became  so  heavy  that  it  got  to  be  insupportable. 
He  handed  me  the  money — 950  dollars  and  some  cents — and 
asked  me  to  take  it  back  to  his  employers.  The  next  even- 
ing the  two  employers  and  myself  met  in  a  side  room  of 
the  church.  I  laid  the  money  down,  and  informed  them  it 
was  from  one  of  their  emi>loyes.  I  told  them  the  story,  and 
said  he  v/anted  mercy  from  them,  not  justice.  The  tears 
trickled  down  the  cheeks  of  these  two  men,  and  they  said, 
"  Forgive  him!  Yes,  we  v/ill  be  glad  to  forgive  him."  I  went 
down  stairs  and  brought  him  up.  After  he  had  confessed  his 
guilt  and  been  forgiven,  we  all  got  down  on  our  knees  and  had 
a  blessed  prayer-meeting.     God  met  us  and  blessed  us  there. 

There  was  a  friend  of  mine  who  some  time  ago  had  come 
to  Christ  and  wished  to  consecrate  himself  and  his  wealth  to 
God.  He  had  formerly  had  transactions  with  the  govern- 
ment, and  had  taken  advantage  of  them.  This  thing  came  up 
when  he  was  converted,  and  his  conscience  troubled  him.  He 
said,  "  I  want  to  consecrate  my  v/ealth,  but  it  seems  as  if  God 
will  not  take  it. "  He  had  a  terrible  struggle;  his  conscience 
kept  rising  up  and  smiting  him.  At  last  he  drew  a  check 
for  $1,500  and  sent  it  to  the  United  States  Treasury.  He 
told  me  he  received  such  a  blessing  when  he  had  done  it. 
That  was  bringing  forth  "fruits  meet  for  repentance,"  I  be- 
lieve a  great  many  men  are  crying  to  God  for  light;  and  they 
are  not  getting  it  because  they  are  not  honest. 


REPENTANCE  AND  RESTITUTION.  81 

I  was  once  preaching,  and  a  man  came  to  me  who  was  only 
thirty-two  years  old,  but  whose  hair  was  very  grey.  He  said, 
"I  want  you  to  notice  that  my  hair  is  grey,  and  I  am  only 
thirty-two  years  old.  For  twelve  years  I  have  carried  a  great 
burden. "  "Well,"  I  said,  "what  is  it?"  He  looked  around  as 
if  afraid  some  one  would  hear  him.  "Well,"  he  answered, 
"my  father  died  and  left  my  mother  with  the  county  news- 
paper, and  left  her  only  that:  that  was  all  she  had.  After  he 
died  the  paper  began  to  waste  away;  and  I  saw  my  mother 
was  fast  sinking  into  a  state  of  need.  The  building  and  the 
paper  were  insured  for  a  thousand  dollars,  and  when  I  was 
twenty  years  old  I  set  fire  to  the  building,  and  obtained  the 
thousand  dollars,  and  gave  it  to  my  mother.  For  twelve  years 
that  sin  has  been  haunting  me.  I  have  tried  to  drown  it  by  in- 
dulgence in  pleasure  and  sin ;  I  have  cursed  God ;  I  have  gone 
into  infidelity ;  I  have  tried  to  make  out  that  the  Bible  is  not 
true ;  I  have  done  everything  I  could :  but  all  these  years  I 
have  been  tormented."  I  said,  "There  is  a  way  out  of  that." 
He  inquired  "How?"  I  said,  "Make  restitution.  Let  us  sit 
down  and  calculate  the  interest,  and  then  you  pay  the  Com- 
pany the  money."  It  would  have  done  you  good  to  see  that 
man's  face  light  up  when  he  found  there  was  mercy  for  him. 
He  said  he  would  be  glad  to  pay  back  the  money  and  interest 
if  he  could  only  be  forgiven. 

There  are  men  to  da,y  who  are  in  darkness  and  bondage 
because  they  are  not  willing  to  turn  from  their  sins  and  con- 
fess them;  and  I  do  not  know  how  a  man  can  hope  to  be  for- 
given if  he  is  not  willing  to  confess  his  sins. 

Bear  in  mind  that  jww  is  the  only  day  of  mercy  you  will 
ever  have.  You  can  repent  now,  and  have  the  awful  record 
blotted  out.  God  waits  to  forgive  you ;  He  is  seeking  to  bring 
you  to  Himself.  But  I  think  the  Bible  teaches  clearly  that 
there  is  7io  repentance  after  this  life.     There  are  some  who  tell 


82  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 


yon  of  the  possibility  of  repentance  in  the  grave ;  but  I  do  not 
find  that  in  Scripture.  I  have  looked  my  Bible  over  very  care- 
fully, and  I  cannot  find  that  a  man  will  have  another  oppor- 
tunity of  being  saved. 

WJiy  shoidd  he  ask  for  any  more  time  /  You  have  time 
enough  to  repent  now.  You  can  turn  from  your  sins  this 
moment  if  you  will.  God  says:  "I  have  no  pleasure  in  the 
death  of  him  that  dieth;  wherefore  turn,  a.nd  live  ye"  (Ezek. 
xviii.  32). 

Christ  said,  He  "came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners 
to  repentance."  Are  you  a  sinner?  Then  the  call  to  repent 
is  addressed  to  you.  Take  your  place  in  the  dust  at  the 
Saviour's  feet,  and  acknowledge  your  guilt.  Say,  like  the  pub- 
lican of  old,  "God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner!"  and  see  how 
quickly  He  will  pardon  and  bless  you.  He  will  even  justify 
you  and  reckon  you  as  righteous,  by  virtue  of  the  righteous- 
ness of  Him  who  bore  your  sins  in  His  own  body  on  the 
Cross. 

There  are  some  perhaps  who  think  themselves  righteous; 
and  that,  therefore,  there  is  no  need  for  them  to  repent  and  be- 
lieve the  Gospel.  They  are  like  the  Pharisee  in  the  parable, 
who  thanked  God  that  he  was  not  as -other  men — "extortion- 
ers, unjust,  adulterers,  or  even  as  this  publican;"  and  who 
went  on  to  say,  "I  fast  twice  a  week;  I  give  tithes  of  all  I 
possess."  What  is  the  judgment  about  such  self-righteous 
persons?  "I  tell  you  this  man  [the  poor,  contrite,  repenting 
publican]  went  down  to  his  house  justified  rather  than  the 
other"  (Luke  xviii.  11 — 14).  "There  is  none  righteous;  no, 
not  one."  "All  have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of 
God  "  (Rom.  iii.  10,  23).  Let  no  one  say  he  does  not  need  to 
repent.  Let  each  one  take  his  true  place — that  of  a  sinner; 
then  God  will  lift  him  up  to  the  place  of  forgiveness  and  justi- 


REPENTANCE  AND  RESTITUTION.  83 

fication.  "Whosoever  exalteth  himself  shall  be  ahased ;  and 
he  that  humhleth  himself  shall  be  exalted  "  (Luke  xiv.  11). 

Wherever  God  sees  true  repentance  in  the  heart  He  meets 
that  soul. 

I  was  in  Colorado,  preaching  the  gospel  some  time  ago,  and 
I  heard  something  that  touched  my  heart  very  much.  The 
governor  of  the  State  was  passing  through  the  prison,  and  in 
one  cell  he  found  a  boy  w4io  had  his  window  full  of  flowers, 
that  seemed  to  have  been  watched  with  very  tender  care.  The 
governor  looked  at  the  prisoner,  and  then  at  the  flowers,  and 
asked  whose  they  were,  "These  are  my  flowers,"  said  the 
poor  convict.  "Are  you  fond  of  flowers?"  "Yes,  sir."  "How 
long  have  you  been  here?"  He  told  him  so  many  years:  ho 
was  in  for  a  long  sentence.  The  governor  was  surprised  io 
find  him  so  fond  of  the  flow^ers,  and  he  said,  "Can  you  tell  me 
why  you  like  these  flowers  so  much?"  With  much  emotion 
he  replied,  "While  my  mother  was  alive  she  thought  a  good 
deal  of  flowers;  and  w4ien  I  came  here  I  thought  if  I  had  these 
they  would  remind  me  of  mother. "  The  governor  was  so 
pleased  that  he  said,  "Well,  young  man,  if  you  think  so  much 
of  your  mother  I  think  you  will  appreciate  your  liberty,"  and 
he  pardoned  him  then  and  there. 

When  God  finds  that  beautiful  flower  of  true  repentance 
springing  up  in  a  man's  heart,  then  salvation  comes  to  that 
man. 


84  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 


CHAPTER  VII. 
ASSURANCE   OF   SALVATION. 

These  things  have  I  written  unto  you  that  believe  on  the  name  of  the  Son 
of  God ;  that  ye  may  know  that  ye  have  eternal  hfe,  and  that  ye  may  beheve  on 
the  name  of  the  Son  of  God." 

(1  JOHN  V.  13.) 

There  are  two  classes  who  ought  not  to  have  Assurance. 
First :  those  who  are  in  the  Church,  but  who  are  not  con- 
verted, having  never  been  born  of  the  Spirit.  Second :  those 
are  not  wilhng  to  do  God's  will;  who  are  not  ready  to  take  the 
place  that  God  has  mapped  out  for  them,  but  want  to  fill  some 
other  place. 

Some  one  will  ask  "Have  all  God's  people  Assurance?" 
No;  I  think  a  good  many  of  God's  dear  people  have  no  Assur- 
ance; but  it  is  the  privilege  of  every  child  of  God  to  have 
beyond  doubt  a  knowledge  of  his  own  salvation.  No  man  is 
fit  for  God's  service  who  is  filled  with  doubts.  If  a  man  is 
not  sure  of  his  own  salvation,  how  can  he  help  any  one  else 
into  the  kingdom  of  God?  If  I  seem  in  danger  of  drowning 
and  do  not  know  whether  I  shall  ever  reach  the  shore,  I  can- 
not assist  another.  I  must  first  get  on  the  solid  rock  myself; 
and  then  I  can  lend  my  brother  a  helping  hand.  If  being 
myself  blind  I  were  to  tell  another  blind  man  how  to  get  sight, 
he  might  reply,  "First  get  healed  yourself;  and  then  you  can 
tell  me."  I  recently  met  with  a  young  man  who  was  a  Chris- 
tian; but  he  had  not  attained  to  victory  over  sin.  He  was  in 
terrible  darkness.  Such  an  one  is  not  fit  to  work  for  God, 
because  he  has  besetting  sins ;  and  he  has  not  the  victory  over 
his  doubts,  because  he  has  not  the  victory  over  his  sins. 


ASSURANCE  OF  SALVATION.  85 

None  will  have  time  or  heart  to  work  for  God,  vv'ho  are  not 
assured  as  to  their  own  salvation.  They  have  as  much  as 
they  can  attend  to;  and  being  themselves  bm-dened  with 
doubts,  they  cannot  help  others  to  carry  their  burdens.  There 
is  no  rest,  joy,  or  peace — no  liberty,  nor  power — where  doubts 
and  uncertainty  exist. 

Now  it  seems  as  if  there  are  three  wiles  of  Satan  against 
which  we  ought  to  be  on  our  guard.  In  the  first  place  he 
moves  all  his  kingdom  to  keep  us  avv^ay  from  Christ;  then  he 
devotes  himself  to  get  us  into  "Doubting  Castle:"  but  if  we 
have,  in  spite  of  him,  a  clear  ringing  witness  for  the  Son  of 
God,  he  will  do  all  he  can  to  blacken  our  characters  and  belie 
our  testimony. 

Some  seem  to  think  that  it  is  presumption  not  to  have 
doubts:  but  doubt  is  very  dishonoring  to  God.  If  any  one 
were  to  say  that  they  had  known  a  person  for  thirty  years  and 
yet  doubted  him,  it  would  not  be  very  creditable :  and  when 
we  have  known  God  for  ten,  twenty  or  thirty  years  does  it  not 
reflect  on  His  veracity  to  doubt  Him? 

Could  Paul  and  the  early  Christians  and  martyrs  have  gone 
through  what  they  did  if  they  had  been  filled  with  doubts,  and 
had  not  known  whether  they  were  going  to  heaven  or  to  perdi- 
tion after  they  had  been  burned  at  the  stake  ?  They  must  have 
had  Assurance. 

Mr.  Spurgeon  says;  "I  never  heard  of  a  stork  that  when  it 
met  with  a  fir  tree  demurred  as  to  its  right  to  build  its  nest 
there;  and  I  never  heard  of  a  coney  yet  that  questioned 
whether  it  had  a  permit  to  run  into  the  rock.  Why,  these 
creatures  would  soon  perish  if  they  were  always  doubting  and 
fearing  as  to  whether  they  had  a  right  to  use  providential  pro- 
visions. 

"The  stork  says  to  himself,  *  Ah,  here  is  a  fir  tree:'  he 
consults  with  his  mate,  'Will  this  do  for  the  nest  in  which  we 


THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 


may  rear  our  young?'  'Aye,'  says  she;  and  they  gather  the 
materials,  and  arrange  them.  There  is  never  any  dehber- 
ation,  'May  we  build  here?'  but  they  bring  their  sticks  and 
make  their  nest. 

"The  wild  goat  on  the  crag  does  not  say,  'Have  I  a  right 
here?'  No,  he  must  be  somewhere;  and  there  is  a  crag  which 
exactly  suits  him ;  and  he  springs  upon  it. 

"Yet,  though  these  dumb  creatures  know  the  provision  of 
their  God,  the  sinner  does  not  recognize  the  provision  of  his 
Saviour.  He  quibbles  and  questions,  'May  I?'  and  'I  am 
afraid  it  is  not  for  me;'  and  'I  think  it  cannot  be  meant  for 
me;'  and  'I  am  afraid  it  is  too  good  to  be  true.' 

"And  yet  nobody  ever  said  to  the  stork,  'Whosoever build eth 
on  this  fir  tree  shall  never  have  his  nest  pulled  down.'  No 
inspired  word  has  ever  said  to  the  coney,  'Whosoever  runs 
into  this  rock  cleft  shall  never  be  driven  out  of  it."  If  it  had 
been  so  it  would  make  assurance  doubly  sure. 

"And  yet  here  is  Christ  provided  for  sinners,  just  the  sort 
of  a  Saviour  sinners  need ;  and  the  encouragement  is  added, 
'Him  that  cometh  unto  Me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out;'  'Who- 
soever will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freel}'.'  " 

Now  let  us  come  to  the  Word.  John  tells  us  in  his  Gospel 
what  Christ  did  for  us  on  earth.  In  his  Epistle  He  tells  us 
what  He  is  doing  for  us  in  heaven  as  our  Advocate.  In  his 
Gospel  there  are  only  two  chapters  in  which  tlie  word  "believe" 
does  not  occur.  With  these  two  exceptions,  every  chapter  in 
John  is  "Believe!  Believe!!  Believe!!!"  He  tells  us  in  xx. 
31,  "But  these  are  written,  that  ye  might  believe  that  Jesus 
is  the  Christ,  the  son  of  God,  and  that,  believing,  ye  might 
have  life  through  His  name.  That  is  the  purpose  for  v*diicli  he 
wrote  the  Gospel — "that  we  mjght  believe  that  Jesus  is  the 
Christ,  the  Son  of  God:  and  that,  believing,  we  might  have 
life  through  His  name"  (John  xx.  31). 


ASSURA^WE  OF  SALVATION.  87 


Turn  io  1  John  v.  13,  he  there  tells  us  why  he  wrote  this 
jfipistle:  "These  things  have  I  written  nnto  you  that  believe  on 
the  name  of  the  Son  of  God."  Notice  to  whom  he  writes  it: 
"You  that  believe  on  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God;  that  ye 
may  know  that  ye  have  eternal  life,  and  that  ye  may  beheve 
on  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God."  There  are  only  five  short 
chapters  in  this  first  Epistle,  and  the  word  "know"  occurs  over 
forty  times.  It  is  ''Know!  Know!!  KNOW!!!"  The  Key  to 
it  is  Know  !  and  all  through  the  Epistle  there  rings  out  the 
refrain — "that  we  might  know  that  we  have  eternal  life." 

I  went  twelve  hundred  miles  down  the  Mississippi  in  the 
spring  some  yea/s  ago;  and  every  evening,  just  as  the  sun 
went  down,  you  might  have  seen  men,  and  sometimes  women, 
riding  up  to  the  banks  of  the  river  on  either  side  on  mules  or 
horses,  and  sometimes  coming  on  foot,  for  the  purpose  of 
lighting  up  the  Governmienfc  lights;  and  all  down  that  mighty 
river  there  were  landmarks  which  guided  the  pilots  in  their 
dangerous  navigation.  Now  God  has  given  us  lights  or  land- 
marks to  tell  us  w^hether  we  are  Ilis  children  or  not;  and  what 
we  need  to  do  is  to  examine  the  tokens  He  has  given  us. 

In  the  third  chapter  of  John's  first  Epistle  there  are  five 
things  worth  knowing. 

In  the  fifth  verse  we  read  the  first :  "And  ye  Jmow  that 
He  was  manifiested  to  take  away  oiu  sins;  and  in  Him 
is  no  sin."  Not  what  I  have  done,  but  what  HE  has 
done.  Has  He  failed  in  His  mission?  Is  He  not  able  to 
do  what  He  came  for?  Did  ever  any  lieavfcn-sent  man  fail 
yet?  and  could  God's  own  Son  fail?     He  was  manifested  to 

TAKE  AWAY  OUR  SINS. 

Again,  in  the  nineteenth  verse,  the  seconcl  iLing  worth 
knowing:  "And  hereby  ice  know  that  we  are  of  the  truth,  and 
shall  assurs  our  hearts  before  Him."  We  know  that  we  are  of 
THE  TRUTH.     And  if  the  truth  make  us  free,  we  shall  be  free 


SS*  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 


indeed.  "If  the  Son  therefore  shall  make  you  free,  ye  shall  be 
freR  indeed."     (John  viii.  36.) 

The  third  thing  worth  knowing  is  in  the  fourteenth  verse, 
"F'^a  know  that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  because 
we  love  the  brethren."  The  naturtil  man  does  not  like  godly 
people,  nor  does  he  Go.ie  to  be  in  their  company.  "He  that 
lov^-th  not  his  brother  abideth  in  death."  He  has  no  spiritual 
lif^^^ 

The  fourth  thing  worth  knowing  vv^e  find  in  verse  twenty- 
four :  "And  he  that  keepeth  His  commandments  dwelleth  in 
Him,  and  He  in  him.  And  hereby  ice  know  that  He  abideth 
in  us,  by  the  Spirit  which  He  hath  given  us.  We  can  tell 
what  kind  of  Spirit  we  have  if  we  possess  the  Spirit  of  Christ — 
a  Christ-like  spirit — not  the  same  in  degree,  but  the  same  in 
kind.  If  I  am  meek,  gentle,  and  forgiving;  if  I  have  a  spirit 
filled  with  peace  and  joy;  if  I  am  long-suffering  and  gentle, 
like  the  Son  of  God — that  is  a  test :  and  in  that  way  we  are  to 
tell  whether  we  have  eternal  life  or  not. 

The  fifth  thmg  worth  knowing,  and  the  best  of  all,  is 
"Beloved,  now."  Notice  the  word  "Now."  It  does  not  say 
when  you  come  to  die.  "Beloved,  7iow  are  we  the  sons  of  God; 
and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be:  but  we  know  that, 
when  He  shall  appear,  w«  shall  be  like  Him;  for  we  shall  see 
Him  as  He  is"  {v.  2). 

But  some  will  say,  "Well,  I  believe  all  that;  but  then  I 
havf<  sinned  since  I  became  a  Christian."  Is  there  a  man  or 
a  woman  on  the  face  of  the  earth  who  has  not  sinned  since 
becoming  a  Christian?  Not  one!  There  never  has  been,  and 
never  will  be,  a  soul  on  this  earth  who  has  not  tinned,  or  who 
will  not  sin,  at  some  time  of  their  Christian  experience.  But 
God  has  made  provision  for  believers'  sins.  V/e  are  not  to 
make  provision  for  them;  but  God  has.     Bear  that  in  mind. 


ASSURANCE  OF  SALVATION.  89 

Turn  to  1  John  ii.  1:  "My  little  children,  these  things 
write  I  unto  you,  that  ye  sin  not.  And  if  any  man  sin,  we 
have  an  Advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous." 
He  is  here  writing  to  the  righteous.  "If  any  man  sin,  we" — 
John  put  himself  in — "  we  have  an  Advocate  with  the  Father, 
Jesus  Christ  the  righteous."  What  an  Advocate!  He  attends 
to  our  interests  at  the  very  hest  place — the  throne  of  God.  He 
said,  "Nevertheless,  I  tell  you  the  truth;  it  is  expedient  for 
you  that  I  go  away"  (John  xvi.  7).  He  went  away  to  hecome 
our  High  Priest,  and  also  our  Advocate.  He  has  had  some 
hard  cases  to  plead;  hut  he  has  never  lost  one:  and  if  you 
entrust  your  immortal  interests  to  Him,  He  will  ''present  you 
faultless  hefore  the  presence  of  His  glory  with  exceeding  joy" 
(Jude  2i). 

The  past  sins  of  Christians  are  all  forgiven  as  soon  as  they 
are  confessed ;  and  they  are  never  to  he  mentioned.  That  is  a 
question  which  is  not  to  he  opened  up  again.  If  our  sins 
have  been  put  away,  that  is  the  end  of  them.  They  are  not 
to  be  remembered;  and  God  will  not  mention  them  anymore. 
This  is  very  plain.  Suppose  I  have  a  son  who,  while  I  am 
from  home,  does  wrong.  When  I  go  home  he  throws  his 
arms  around  my  neck  and  says,  "Papa,  I  did  what  you  told 
me  not  to  do.  I  am  very  sorry.  Do  forgive  me."  I  say: 
"Yes,  my  son,"  and  kiss  him.  He  wipes  away  his  tears,  and 
goes  off  rejoicing. 

But  the  next  day  he  says  :  "Papa,  I  wish  you  would  for- 
give me  for  the  wrong  I  did  yesterday."  I  should  say:  *'Y/hy, 
my  son,  that  thing  is  settled;  and  I  don't  want  it  mentioned 
again."  "But  I  v/isli  you  would  forgive  me:  it  would  help  me 
to  hear  you  say,  'I  forgive  you.' "  Would  that  be  honoring 
me?  Would  it  not  grieve  me  to  have  my  boy  doubt  me?  But 
to  gratify  him  I  say  again,  "I  forgive  you,  my  son." 


90  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 


And  if,  the  next  day,  he  were  again  to  bring  up  that  old 
sin,  and  ask  forgiveness,  would  not  that  grieve  me  to  the 
heart?  And  so,  my  dear  reader,  if  God  has  forgiven  us,  never 
let  us  mention  the  past.  Let  us  forget  those  things  which  are 
behind,  and  reach  forth  unto  those  which  are  before,  and 
press  toward  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God 
in  Christ  Jesus.  Let  the  sins  of  the  past  go;  for  "If  we  con- 
fess our  sins,  He  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins, 
and  to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness"  (1  John  i.  9). 

And  let  me  say  that  this  principle  is  recognized  in  courts  of 
justice.  A  case  came  up  in  the  courts  of  a  country — I  won't 
say  where — in  which  a  man  ha,d  had  trouble  with  his  wife; 
but  he  forgave  her,  and  then '  afterwards  brought  her  into 
court.  And,  when  it  was  known  that  he  had  forgiven  her,  the 
judge  said  that  the  thing  was  settled.  The  judge  recognized 
the  soundness  of  the  principle,  that  if  a  sin  were  once  forgiven 
there  was  an  end  of  it.  And  do  you  think  the  Judge  of  all  the 
earth  will  forgive  you  and  me,  and  open  the  question  again? 
Our  sins  are  gone  for  time  and  eternity,  if  God  forgives;  and 
what  we  have  to  do  is  to  confess  and  forsake  our  sins. 

Again  in  2  Corinthians  xiii.  5:  "Examine  yourselves 
whether  ye  be  in  the  faith ;  prove  your  own  selves.  Xnow  ye 
not  your  ovv^n  selves,  how  that  Jesus  Christ  is  in  you,  except  ye 
be  reprobates?"  Now  examine  yourselves.  Try  your  religion. 
Put  it  to  the  test.  Can  you  forgive  an  enemy?  That  is  a 
good  way  to  know  if  you  are  a  child  of  God.  Can  you  forgive 
an  injury,  or  take  an  affront,  as  Christ  did?  Can  you  be 
censured  for  doing  well,  and  not  murmur?  Can  you  be  mis- 
judged and  misrepresented,  and  yet  keep  a  Christ-like  spirit? 

Another  good  test  is  to  read  Galatians  v.,  and  notice  the 
fruits  of  the  Spirit;  and  see  if  you  have  them.  "The  fruit  of 
the  Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace,  long  suffering,  gentleness,  good- 
ness faith,  meekness,  temperance:   against  such  there  is  no 


ASSURAI^CE  OF  SALVATION.  91 

law."  If  I  have  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit  I  must  have  the  Spirit. 
I  could  not  have  the  fruits  without  the  Spirit  any  more  than 
there  could  be  an  orange  without  the  tree.  And  Christ  says* 
"Ye  shall  know  them  by  their  fruits;"  "for  the  tree  is  known 
by  his  fruits."  Make  the  tree  good,  and  the  fruit  will  be  good. 
The  only  way  to  get  the  fruit  is  to  have  the  Spirifc.  That  is 
the  way  to  examine  ourselves  whether  we  are  the  children  of 
God. 

Then  there  is  another  very  striking  passage.  In  Romans 
viii.  9,  Paul  says:  "Now,  if  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  he  is  none  of  His."  That  ought  to  settle  the  question, 
even  though  one  may  have  gone  through  all  the  external  forms 
that  are  considered  necessary  by  some  to  constitute  a  member 
of  a  Church.  Bead  Paul's  life,  and  put  yours  alongside  of  it. 
If  your  life  resembles  his,  it  is  a  proof  that  you  are  born  again 
— that  you  are  anew  creature  in  Christ  Jesus. 

But  although  you  may  be  born  again,  it  will  require  time 
to  become  a  full-grown  Christian.  Justification  is  instantane- 
ous; but  sanctification  is  a  life-work.  We  are  to  grow  in  wis- 
dom. Peter  says  :  "Grow  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of 
our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ"  (2  Pet.  iii.  18);  and  in 
the  first  chapter  of  his  Second  Epistle,  "Add  to  yourfaitli  vir- 
tue ;  and  to  virtue  knowledge ;  and  to  knowledge  temperance ; 
and  to  temperance  patience ;  and  to  patience  godliness;  and  to 
godliness  brotherly  kindness ;  and  to  brotherly  kindness  char- 
ity. For  if  these  things  be  in  you  and  abound  they  make  you 
that  ye  shall  neither  be  barren  nor  unfruitful  in  the  knowledge 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  So  that  we  are  to  add  grace  to 
grace.  A  tree  may  be  perfect  in  its  first  year  of  growth ;  but 
it  does  not  attain  its  maturity.  So  with  the  Christian:  he 
may  be  a  true  child  of  God,  but  not  a  matured  Christian.  The 
eighth  of  Romans  is  very  important,  and  we  should  be  very 
familiar  with  it.     In  the  fourteenth  verse  the  apostle  says : 


92  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

"For  as  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God  they  are  the  sons 
of  God."  Just  as  the  soldier  is  led  by  his  captain,  the  pupil 
by  his  teacher,  or  the  traveller  by  his  guide;  so  the  Holy 
Spirit  will  be  the  guide  of  every  true  child  of  God. 

Then  let  me  call  your  attention  to  another  fact.  All 
Paul's  teaching  in  nearly  every  Epistle  rings  out  the  doctrine 
of  assurance.  He  says  in  2  Corinthians  v.  1:  "For  we  know 
that  if  our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved,  w^e 
have  a  building  of  God,  a  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal 
in  the  heavens."  He  had  a  title  to  the  mansions  above,  and 
he  says — I  know  it.  He  was  not  living  in  uncertainty.  He 
said:  "I  have  a  desire  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ  "  (Phil, 
i.  23);  and  if  he  had  been  uncertain  he  would  not  have  said 
that.  Then  in  Colossians  iii.  4,  he  says:  "When  Christ,  w?io 
is  our  life,  shall  appear,  then  ghall  ye  also  appear  with  Him  in 
glory."  I  am  told  that  Dr.  Watts'  tombstone  bears  this  same 
passage  of  Scripture.     There  is  no  doubt  there. 

Then  turn  to  Colossians  i.  12:  "Giving  thanks  unto  the 
Father,  which  hath  made  us  meet  to  be  partakers  of  the  inher- 
itance of  the  saints  in  light;  who  hath  delivered  us  from  the 
power  of  darkness,  and  hath  translated  us  into  the  kingdom  of 
His  dear  Son." 

Three  7iai/is  :  "hath  made  us  meet;"  "h.\th  delivered  us;" 
and  "hath  translated  us."  It  does  not  say  that  He  is  going  to 
make  us  meet ;  that  He  is  going  to  deliver ;  that  He  is  going 
to  translate. 

Then  again  in  verse  14th:  "In  whom  we  have  redemp- 
tion through  His  blood,  even  the  forgiveness  of  sins."  We 
are  either  forgiven  or  we  are  not,  we  should  not  give  ourselves 
any  rest  until  we  get  into  the  kingdoin  of  God;  nor  until  we 
can  each  look  up  and  say,  "I  know  that  if  my  earthly  house  of 
this  tabernacle  were  dissolved,  I  have  a  building  of  God,  a  house 
not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens"  (2  Cor.  v.  1). 


ASSURANCE  OF  SALVATION.  93 

Look  at  Romans  viii.  32:  "He  that  spared  not  His  own 
Son,  but  delivered  Him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall  He  not  with 
Him  also  freely  give  us  all  things?"  If  He  gave  us  His  Son, 
will  He  not  give  us  the  certainty  that  He  is  ours.  I  have 
heard  this  illustration.  There  was  a  man  who  owed  ^10,- 
000,  and  would  have  been  made  a  bankrupt,  but  a  friend  came 
forward  and  paid  the  sum.  It  was  found  afterwards  that  he 
owed  a  few  dollars  more;  but  he  did  not  for  a  moment  enter- 
tain a  doubt  that,  as  his  friend  had  paid  the  larger  amount,  he 
would  also  pay  the  smaller.  And  we  have  high  warrant  for 
saying  that  if  God  has  given  us  His  Son  He  will  with  Him 
also  freely  give  us  all  things;  and  if  we  want  to  realize  our  sal- 
vation beyond  controversy  He  will  not  leave  us  in  darkness. 

Again  in  the  33d  verse:  "Who  shall  lay  anything  to  the 
charge  of  God's  elect?  It  is  God  that  justifieth.  Who  is  he 
that  condemneth?  It  is  Christ  that  died,  yea  rather,  that  is 
risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  who  also 
maketh  intercession  for  us.  Who  shall  separate  us  from  the 
love  of  Christ?  shall  tribulation,  or  distress,  or  persecution,  or 
famine,  or  nakedness,  or  peril,  or  sword?  As  it  is  written, 
For  Thy  sake  we  are  killed  all  the  day  long;  we  are  ac- 
counted as  sheep  for  the  slaughter.  Nay,  in  all  these  things 
we  are  more  than  conquerors  through  Him  that  loved  us.  For 
I  am  persuaded  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor 
principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to 
come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be 
able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ 
Jesus  our  Lord." 

That  has  the  right  ring  in  it.  There  is  Assurance  for  you. 
"1  Know."  Do  you  think  that  the  God  who  has  justified  me 
will  condemn  me  ?  That  is  quite  an  absurdity.  God  is  going 
to  save  us  so  that  neither  men,  angels,  nor  devils,  can  bring  any 
charge  against  us  or  Him.     He  will  have  the  work  complete. 


94  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 


Job  lived  in  a  darker  day  than  we  do ;  but  we  read  in  Job 
xix.  25 :  "I  know  that  my  Eedeemer  hveth,  and  that  He  shall 
stand  in  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth." 

The  same  confidence  breathes  through  Paul's  last  words  to 
Timothy:  "For  the  which  cause  I  also  suffer  these  things: 
nevertheless  I  am  not  ashamed;  for  I  Jmoiv  whom  I  have  be- 
lieved, and  am  persuaded  that  He  is  able  to  keep  that  which  I 
have  committed  unto  Him  against  that  day."  It  is  not  a 
matter  of  doubt,  but  of  knowledge.  "I  know."  "I  am  per- 
suaded." The  word  "Hope,"  is  not  used  in  the  Scripture  to 
express  doubt.  It  is  used  in  regard  to  the  second  coming  of 
Christ,  or  to  the  resurrection  of  the  body.  We  do  not  say  that 
we  "hope  "  we  are  Christians.  I  do  not  say  that  I  "hope  "  I 
am  an  American,  or  that  I  "hope"  I  am  a  married  man. 
These  are  settled  things.  I  may  say  that  I  "hope  "  to  go  back 
to  my  home,  or  I  hope  to  a,ttend  such  a  meeting.  I  do  not 
say  that  I  "hope  "  to  come  to  this  country,  for  I  am  here.  And 
so,  if  we  are  born  of  God  we  know  it;  and  He  will  not  leave  us 
in  darkness  if  we  search  the  Scriptures. 

Christ  taught  this  doctrine  to  His  seveuty  disciples  when 
they  returned  elated  with  their  success,  saying,  "Lord,  even 
the  devils  are  subject  unto  us  through  Thy  name."  The  Lord 
seemed  to  check  them,  and  said  that  He  would  give  them 
something  to  rejoice  in.  "Notwithstanding  in  this  rejoice 
not,  that  the  spirits  are  subject  unto  you;  but  rather  rejoice 
because  your  names  are  written  in  heaven."     (Luke  x.  20.) 

It  is  the  privilege  of  every  one  of  us  to  know,  beyond  a 
a  doubt,  that  our  salvation  is  sure.  Then  we  can  work  for 
others.  But  if  we  are  doubtful  of  our  own  salvation,  we  are 
not  fit  for  the  service  of  God. 

Another  passage  is  John  v.  24  :  "Verily,  verily  I  say  unto 
you :  He  that  heareth  my  word,  and  believeth  on  Him  that 
sent  Me,  hath  everlasting  life,  and  shall  not  come  into   'judg- 


A  SS  URANCE  OF  SAL  VA  TION.  95 

vunt'  "  (the  new  translation  has  it  so),  "but  is  passed  from 
death  unto  hfe." 

Some  people  say  that  you  never  can  tell  till  you  are  before 
the  great  white  throne  of  Judgment  whether  you  are  saved  or 
not.  Why,  my  dear  friend,  if  your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in 
God,  you  are  not  coming  into  judgment  for  your  sins.  We 
may  come  into  judgment  for  reward.  This  is  clearly  taught 
where  the  lord  reckoned  with  the  servant  to  whom  five  talents 
had  been  given,  and  who  brought  other  five  talents  saying, 
"Lord,  thou  deliveredst  unto  me  five  talents;  behold,  I  have 
gained  beside  them  five  talents  more.  His  lord  said  unto  him. 
Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful  servant:  thou  hast  been 
faithful  over  a  few  things ;  I  will  make  thee  ruler  over  many 
things;  enter  thou  into  the  joy 'of  thy  lord."  (Matt.  xxv. 
20,21.)  We  shall  be  judged  for  our  stewardship.  That  is 
one  thing ;  but  salvation — eternal  life — is  another. 

Will  God  demand  payment  twice  of  the  debt  which  Christ 
has  paid  for  us  ?  If  Christ  bear  my  sins  in  His  own  body  on 
the  tree,  am  I  to  answer  for  them  as  v/ell? 

Isaiah  tells  us  that,  "  He  was  wounded  for  our  transgres- 
sions; He  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities;  the  chastisement  of 
our  peace  was  upon  Him :  and  with  His  stripes  we  are  healed." 
In  Romans  iv.  25,  we  read  ;  He  "was  delivered  for  our  offences, 
and  was  raised  again  for  our  justification."  Let  us  believe, 
and  get  the  benefit  of  His  finished  work. 

Then  again  in  John  x.  9  :  "I  am  the  door  :  by  Me  if  any 
man  enter  in  he  shall  be  saved,  and  shall  go  in  and  out,  and 
find  pasture."  That  is  the  promise.  Then  the  27th  verse, 
"My  sheep  hear  my  voice;  and  I  know  them,  and  they  follow 
Me.  And  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life;  and  they  shall  never 
perish,  neither  shall'  any  man  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand. 
My  father  which  gave  them  is  greater  than  all ;  a]id  no  man 
is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father's  hand."     Think  of 


96  THE  WAY  TO  QOD. 

that!  The  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  are  pledged 
to  keep  us.  You  see  that  it  is  not  only  the  Father,  not  only 
the  Son,  hut  the  three  persons  of  the  Triune  God. 

Now,  a  great  many  people  want  some  token  outside  of 
God's  word.  That  hahit  always  brings  doubt.  If  I  made  a 
promise  to  meet  a  man  at  a  certain  hour  and  place  to-morrow, 
and  he  were  to  ask  me  for  my  watch  as  a  token  of  my  sincer- 
ity, it  would  be  a  slur  on  my  truthfulness.  We  must  not 
question  what  God  has  said:  He  has  made  statement  after 
statement,  and  multiplied  figure  upon  figure.  Christ  says : 
"I  am  the  door;  by  Me  if  any  man  enter  in  he  shall  be  saved." 
"I  am  the  Good  Shepherd,  and  know  My  sheep,  and  am  known 
of  Mine."  "I  am  the  light  of  the  world;  he  that  followeth  Me 
shall  not  w^alk  in  darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of  life." 
"lam  the  truth;"  receive  Me,  and  you  will  have  the  truth. 
for  I  am  the  embodiment  of  truth.  Do  you  want  to  know  the 
way?  "I  am  the  way;"  follow  Mej  and  I  will  lead  you  into 
the  kingdom.  Are  you  hungering  after  righteousnes?  "lam 
the  Bread  of  life : "  if  you  eat  of  Me  you  shall  never  hunger. 
"I  am  the  Water  of  life  :"  if  you  drink  of  this  water  it  shall 
be  within  you  '  *  a  well  of  water  springing  up  unto  everlasting 
life."  "I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life  :  he  that  believeth 
in  Me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live ;  and  whosoever 
hveth  and  believeth  in  Me  shall  never  die."  (John  xi.  25,  26.) 

Let  me  remind  you  where  our  doubts  come  from.  A  good 
many  of  God's  dear  people  never  get  beyond  knowing  them- 
selves servants.  He  calls  us  "friends."  If  you  go  into  a 
house  you  will  soon  see  the  difference  between  the  servant  and 
the  son.  The  son  walks  at  perfect  liberty  all  over  the  house ; 
he  is  at  home.  But  the  servant  takes  a  subordinate  place. 
What  we  want  is  to  get  beyond  servants.  We  ought  to  realize 
our  standing  with  God  as  sons  and  daughters.  He  will  not 
"un-child"  His  children.     God  has  not  only  adopted  us,  but 


A  SS  URANCE  OF  SAL  VA  TION.  97 


we  are  Ilis  by  Lirtli :  we  have  been  born  into  His  kingdom. 
My  little  boy  was  as  jniich  mine  when  he  was  a  day  old  as 
now  that  he  is  fourteen.  He  was  vuj  son ;  although  it  did  not 
appear  what  he  would  be  when  he  attained  manhood.  He  is 
mine;  although  he  may  have  to  undergo  probation  under 
tutors  and  governors.  The  children  of  God  are  not  perfect; 
but  we  are  perfectly  His  children. 

Another  origin  of  doubts  is  looking  at  ourselves.  If  you 
want  to  be  wretched  and  miserable,  filled  with  doubts  from 
morning  till  night,  look  at  yourselves.  "Thou  wilt  keep  him 
in  perfect  peace  whose  mind  is  stayed  on  Thee."  (Isa.  xxvi. 
3.)  Many  of  God's  dear  children  are  robbed  of  joy  because 
they  keep  looking  at  themselves. 

Some  one  has  said :  "  There  are  three  ways  to  look.  If 
you  want  to  be  wretched,  look  within;  if  you  wish  to  be  dis- 
tracted, look  around;  but  if  you  would  have  peace,  look  up." 
Peter  looked  away  from  Christ,  and  he  immediately  began  to 
sink.  The  Master  said  to  him:  "0  thou  of  little  faith! 
Where^—  didst  ihou  doubt?"  (Matt.  xiv.  31.)  He  had  God's 
eternal  word,  which  was  sure  footing,  and  better  than  either 
marble,  granite  or  iron ;  but  the  moment  he  took  his  eyes  off 
Christ  down  he  went.  Those  who  look  around  cannot  see  how 
unstable  and  dishonoring  is  their  walk.  We  want  to  look 
straight  at  the  "  Author  ?.nd  Finisher  of  our  faith." 

When  I  was  a  boy  I  could  only  make  a  straight  track  in 
the  snow,  by  keeping  my  eyes  fixed  upon  a  tree  or  some  object 
before  me.  The  moment  I  took  my  eye  off  the  mark  set  in 
front  of  me,  I  walked  crooked.  It  is  only  when  we  look  fix- 
edly on  Christ  that  we  find  perfect  peace.  After  He  rose  from 
the  dead  H>  ai^^-«ired  His  disciples  His  hands  and  His  feet. 
(Luke  xxi\.  •i.-O.)  That  was  the  ground  of  their  peace.  If 
you  want  to  scatter  yourd®ubts,  look  at  the  blood;  and  if  you 
want  to  increase  your  doubts,  look  at  yourself.     You  will  get 


98  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 


doubts  enough  for  years  by  being  occupied  with  yourself  for  a 
few  days. 

Then  again .  look  at  what  He  is,  and  at  what  He  has  done; 
not  at  what  you  are,  and  what  you  have  done.  That  is  the 
way  to  get  peace  and  rest. 

Abraham  Lincoln  issued  a  proclamation  declaring  the 
emancipation  of  three  millions  of  slaves.  On  a  certain  day 
their  chains  were  to  fall  off,  and  they  were  to  be  free.  The 
proclamation  was  put  up  on  the  trees  and  fences  wherever  the 
Northern  Army  marched.  A  good  many  slaves  could  not 
read:  but  others  read  the  proclamation,  and  most  of  them  be- 
lieved it;  and  on  a  certain  day  a  glad  shout  went  up,  "We  are 
freel"  Some  did  not  believe  it,  and  stayed  with  their  old 
masters;  but  it  did  not  alter  the  fact  that  they  were  free. 
Christ,  the  Captain  of  our  salvation,  has  proclaimed  freedom 
to  all  who  have  faith  in  Him.  Let  us  take  Him  at  His  word. 
Their  feelings  would  not  have  made  the  slaves  free.  The 
power  must  come  from  the  outside.  Looking  at  ourselves  will 
not  make  us  free,  but  it  is  looking  to  Christ  with  the  eye  of 
faith. 

Bishop  Ryle  has  strikingly  said:  "Faith  is  the  root,  and 
Assurance  the  flower.  Doubtless  you  can  never  ha.ve  the 
flower  without  the  root ;  but  it  is  no  less  certain  you  may  have 
the  root,  and  not  the  flower. 

"Faith  is  that  poor  trembling  woman  who  came  behind 
Jesus  in  the  press,  and  touched  the  hem  of  His  garment. 
(Mark  v.  27.)  Assurance  is  Stephen  standing  calmly  in  the 
midst  of  his  murderers,  and  saying,  '  I  see  the  heavens  opened, 
and  the  Son  of  Man  standiiig  on  the  right  hand  of  God ' 
(Acts  vii.  56). 

"Faith  is  the  penitent  thief,  crying,  'Lord,  remember  me' 
(Luke  xxiii.  42).  Assurance  is  Job  sitting  in  the  dust,  covered 
with  Bores^  and  saying,  'I  know  that  my  Bedeenaer  liveth;' 


ASSURANCE  OF  SALVATION.  99 

*  Though  He  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  Him  '  (Job  xix.  25; 
xiii.  15). 

"Faith  is  Peter's  drowning  cry,  as  he  began  to  sink, 
*Lord,  save  me!  '  (Matt.  xxiv.  30).  Assurance  is  that  same 
Peter  declaring  before  the  Council,  in  after-times,  *  This  is  the 
stone  which  was  set  at  nought  of  you  builders,  which  is  become 
the  head  of  the  corner:  neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other; 
for  there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven  given  among  men 
whereby  we  must  be  saved  '  (Acts  iv.  11,  12). 

"Faith  is  the  anxious,  trembling  voice,  'Lord,  I  believe; 
help  Thou  mine  unbelief!'  ('Mark  ix.  24).  Assurance  is  the 
confident  challenge,  '  Who  shall  lay  anything  to  the  charge  of 
God's  elect?  Who  is  he  that  condemneth?  '  (Kom. 
viii.    33,    34). 

Faith  is  Saul  praying  in  the  house  of  Judas  at  Damas- 
cus, sorrowful,  blind,  and  alone.  (Acts  ix.  11.)  Assurance 
is  Paul,  the  aged  prisoner,  looking  camly  into  the  grave, 
and  saying,  *  I  know  whom  I  have  believed.'  '  There  is  a 
crown  laid  up  for  me '  (2  Tim.  i.  12;  iv.  8). 

"Faith  is  Life.  How  great  the  blessing!  Who  can  tell 
the  gulf  between  life  and  death?  And  yet  life  may  be  weak, 
sickly,  unhealthy,  painful,  trying,  anxious,  worn,  burdensome, 
joyless,  smileless,  to  the  very  end. 

"Assurance  is  mure  than  life.  It  is  health,  strength,  power, 
vigor,  activity,  energy,  manliness,  beauty." 

A  minister  once  pronounced  the  benediction  in  this  way : 
"The  heart  of  God  to  make  us  welcome;  the  blood  of  Christ  to 
make  us  clean,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  to  make  us  certain." 
The  security  of  the  believer  is  the  result  of  the  operation  of  the 
Spirit  of  God. 

Another  writer  says:  "I  have  seen  shrubs  and  trees  grow 
out  of  the  rocks,  and  overhang  fearful  precipices,  roaring  cat- 
aractSj  and  deep  running  waters  j  but  they  maintained  their 


lOO  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

position,  and  threw  out  their  foliage  and  branches  as  mucji  as 
if  they  had  been  in  the  midst  of  a  dense  forest."  It  was  their 
hold  on  the  rock  that  made  them  secure;  and  the  influences 
of  nature  that  sustained  their  life.  So  believers  are  oftentimes 
exposed  to  the  most  horrible  dangers  in  their  journey  to  heaven ; 
but,  so  long  as  they  are  "rooted  and  grounded"  in  the  Eock 
of  Ages,  they  are  perfectly  secure.  Their  hold  of  Him  i-s  their 
guarantee;  and  the  blessings  of  His  grace  give  them  life  and 
sustain  them  in  life.  And  as  the  tree  must  die,  or  the  rock 
fall,  before  a  dissolution  can  be  effected  between  them^  so 
either  the  believer  must  lose  his  spiritual  life,  or  the  Eock  must 
crumble,  ere  their  union  can  be  dissolved. 

Speaking  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  Isaiah  says  :  "I  will  fasten 
Him  as  a  nail  in  a  sure  place;  and  He  shall  be  for  a  glorious 
throne  to  His  Father's  house:  and  they  shall  hang  upon  Him 
all  the  glory  of  His  father's  house,  the  offspring  and  the  issue, 
all  vessels  of  small  quantity,  from  the  vessels  of  cups,  even  to 
all  the  vessels  of  flagons  "  (xxii.  23,  24). 

There  is  one  nml,  fastened  in  a  sure  place;  and  on  it  hang 
all  the  flagons  and  all  the  cups.  "Oh,"  says  one  little  cup,  "I 
am  so  small  and  so  black,  suppose  I  were  to  drop!"  *''0]i,'' 
says  a  flagon,  "there  is  no  fear  of  you;  but  I  am  so  heavy,  so 
very  weighty,  suppose  I  were  to  drop !"  And  a  little  cup  says, 
"Oh,  if  I  were  only  like  the  gold  cup  there,  I  should  never  fear 
falling."  But  the  gold  cup  answers,  "It  is  not  because  I  am 
a  gold  cup  that  I  keep  uj);  but  because  I  hang  upon  the  nail." 
If  the  nail  gives  way  we  all  come  down,  gold  cups,  china  cups, 
pewter  cups,  and  all;  but  as  long  as  the  nail  keeps  up,  all  that 
hang  on  Him  hang  safely. 

I  once  read  these  words  on  a  tombstone:  "Born,  died, 
kept."  Let  us  pray  God  to  keep  us  in  perfect  peace,  and 
assured  of  salvation. 


CHRIST  ALL  AND  IN  ALL,  101 


CHAPTER  VIII. 
CHRIST  ALL  AND  IN  ALL, 

(CoiiOSSiANS  iii.  11.) 

Christ  is  all  to  us  that  we  make  Him  to  be.  I  want  to 
emphasize  that  word  "all."  Some  men  make  Him  to  be  "a 
root  out  of  a  dry  ground,"  "without  form  or  comeliness."  He 
is  nothing  to  them;  they  do  not  want  Him.  Some  Chris- 
tians have  a  very  small  Saviour,  for  they  are  not  willing  to 
receive  Him  fully,  and  let  Him  do  great  and  mighty  things 
for  them.  Others  have  a  mighty  Saviour,  because  they  make 
Him  to  be  great  and  mighty. 

If  we  would  know  what  Christ  wants  to  be  to  us,  we  must 
first  of  all  know  Him  as  our  Saviour  from  sin.  When  the 
angel  came  down  from  heaven  to  proclaim  that  He  was  to  be 
born  into  the  world,  you  remember  he  gave  His  name,  "He 
shall  be  called  Jesus,*  for  He  shall  save  His  people  from  their 
sins."  Have  we  been  deliveked  fsom  sin?  He  did  not  come 
to  save  us  in  our  sins,  but  from  our  sins.  Now,  there  are 
three  ways  of  knowing  a  man.  Some  men  you  know  only  by 
hearsay ;  others  you  merely  know  by  having  been  once  intro- 
duced to  them,  you  know  them  very  slightly;  other  again  you 
know  by  having  been  acquainted  with  them  for  years,  you 
know  them  intimately.  So  I  believe  there  are  three  classes  of 
people  to-day  in  the  Christian  Church  and  out  of  it:  those 
who  know  Christ  only  by  reading  or  by  hearsay,  those  who 
have  a  historical  Christ;  those  who  have  a  slight  personal  ac- 
quaintance with  Him;  and,  those  who  thirst,  as  Paul  did,  to 

♦Saviour. 


102  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

"know  Him  and  the  power  of  His  resurrection."  The  more 
we  know  of  Christ  the  more  we  shall  love  Him,  and  the  better 
we  shall  serve  Him. 

Let  us  look  at  Him  as  He  hangs  upon  the  Cross,  and 
see  how  He  has  put  away  siu.  He  was  manifested  that  He 
might  take  away  our  sins;  and  if  we  really  know  Him  Ave 
must  first  of  all  see  Him  as  our  Saviour  from  sin.  You 
remember  how"  the  angels  said  to  the  shepherds  on  the  plains 
of  Bethlehem,  "Behold,  I  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy, 
which  shall  be  to  all  people  :  for  unto  you  is  born  this  day,  in 
the  city  of  David,  a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the  Lord." 
(Luke  ii.  10,  11.)  Then  if  you  go  clear  back  to  Isaiah,  seven 
hundred  years  before  Christ's  birth,  you  will  find  these  words: 
"I,  even  I,  am  the  Lord;  and  beside  me  there  is  no  Saviour" 
(xliii.  11). 

Again,  in  the  First  Epistle  of  John  (iv.  14)  we  read  :  "We 
have  seen,  and  do  testify,  that  the  Father  sent  the  Son  to  be 
the  Saviour  of  the  world."  All  the  heathen  religions,  we  read, 
teach  men  to  work  their  way  up  to  God;  but  the  religion  of 
Jesus  Christ  is  God  coming  dov^^n  to  men  to  save  them,  to  lift 
them  up  out  of  the  pit  of  siu.  In  Luke  xix.  10,  we  read  that 
Christ  Himself  told  the  people  what  He  had  come  for:  "The 
Son  of  Man  is  come  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost." 
So  we  start  from  the  Cross,  not  from  the  cradle.  Christ  has 
opened  up  a  new  and  living  way  to  the  Father;  He  has  taken 
all  the  stumbling-blocks  out  of  the  way,  so  that  every  man 
who  accepts  of  Christ  as  his  Saviour  can  have  salvation. 

But  Christ  is  not  only  a  Saviour.  I  might  save  a  man 
from  drowning  and  rescue  him  from  an  untimely  grave;  but  I 
might  probably  not  be  able  to  do  any  more  for  him.  Christ  is 
something  more  than  a  Saviour.  When  the  children  of  Israel 
were  placed  behind  the  blood,  that  blood  was  their  salvation ; 
but  they  would  still  have  heard  the  crack  of  the  slave-driver's 


aSRISt  ALL  tN  ALL.  103 

whip  if  they  had  not  been  delivered  from  the  Egyptian  yoke  of 
bondage:  then  it  was  that  God  deUvered  them  from  the  hand 
of  the  king  of  Egypt.  I  have  httle  sympathy  with  the  idea 
that  God  comes  down  to  save  us,  and  then  leaves  us  in  prison, 
the  slaves  of  our  besetting  sins.  No ;  He  has  come  to  deliver 
us,  and  to  give  us  victory  over  our  evil  tempers,  our  passions, 
and  our  lusts.  Are  you  a  professed  Christian  but  on'o  who  is 
a  slave  to  some  besetting  sin  ?  If  you  want  to  get  victory  over 
that  temper  or  that  lust,  goon  to  know  Christ  more  intimately. 
He  brings  deliverance  for  the  past,  the  present,  and  the 
future.  "Who  delivered;  who  doth  deliver;  who  will  yet 
deliver."     (2  Cor.  i.  10.) 

How  often,  like  the  children  of  Israel  when  they  came  to 
the  Eed  Sea,  have  we  become  discouraged  because  everything 
looked  dark  before  us,  behind  us,  and  around  us,  and  we 
knew  not  which  way  to  turn.  Like  Peter  we  have  said,  "To 
whom  shall  we  go?"  But  God  has  appeared  for  our  dehver- 
ance.  He  has  brought  us  through  the  Red  Sea  right  out  into 
the  wilderness,  and  opened  up  the  way  into  the  Promised 
Land.  But  Christ  is  not  only  our  Deliverer;  He  is  our 
Redeemer.  That  is  something  more  than  being  our  Saviour. 
He  has  brought  us  back.  "Ye  have  sold  yourselves  for 
nought;  and  ye  shall  be  redeemed  without  money."  (Isaiah 
lii.  3.)  We  were  not  redeemed  with  corruptible  things,  as 
silver  and  gold."  (1  Peter  i.  18.)  If  gold  could  have  re- 
deemed us,  could  He  not  have  created  ten  thousand  worlds  full 
of  gold? 

When  God  had  redeemed  the  children  of  Israel  from  the 
bondage  of  Egypt,  and  brought  them  through  the  Red  Sea, 
they  struck  out  for  the  wilderness ;  and  then  God  became  to 
them  their  Way.  I  am  so  thankful  the  Lord  has  not  left  us 
in  darkness  as  to  the  right  way.  There  is  no  living  man  who 
has  been  groping  in  the  darkness  but  may  know  the  way.    "I 


104  THE  yVAY  TO   GOD. 


am  the  Way,"  says  Christ.  If  we  follow  Christ  we  shall  be  in 
the  right  way,  and  have  the  right  doctrine.  Who  could  lead 
the  children  of  Israel  through  the  wilderness  like  the  Almighty 
God  Himself?  He  knew  the  pitfalls  and  dangers  of  the  way, 
and  guided  the  people  through  all  their  wilderness  journey 
right  into  the  promised  land.  It  is  true  that  if  it  had  not  been 
for  their  accursed  unbelief  they  might  have  crossed  into  the 
land  at  Kadesh  Barnea,  and  taken  possession  of  it,  but  they 
desired  something  besides  God's  v/ord;  so  they  were  turned 
back,  and  had  to  wander  in  the  desert  for  forty  years.  I 
believe  there  are  thousands  of  God's  children  wandering  in  the 
wilderness  still.  The  Lord  has  delivered  them  from  the  hand 
of  the  Egyptian,  and  would  at  once  take  them  through  the 
wilderness  right  into  the  Promised  Land,  if  they  were  only 
willing  to  follow  Christ.  Christ  has  been  down  here,  and  has 
made  the  rough  places  smooth,  and  the  dark  places  light,  and 
the  crooked  places  straight.  If  we  will  only  be  led  by  Him, 
and  will  foUow  Him,  all  will  be  peace,  and  joy,  and  rest. 

In  the  frontier,  when  a  man  goes  out  hunting  he  takes  a 
hatchet  with  him,  and  cuts  off  pieces  from  the  bark  of  the 
trees  as  he  goes  along  through  the  forest :  this  is  called 
'•blazing  the  way."  He  does  it  that  he  may  know  the  way 
back,  as  there  is  no  pathway  through  these  thick  forests. 
Christ  has  come  down  to  this  earth;  He  has  "blazed  the 
Way  :"  and  now  that  He  has  gone  up  on  higli,  if  we  will  but 
follow  him,  we  shall  be  kept  in  the  right  path.  I  will  tell  you 
how  you  may  know  if  you  are  following  Christ  or  not.  If 
some  one  has  slandered  you,  or  misjudged  you,  do  you  treat 
them  as  your  master  would  have  done?  If  you  do  not  bear 
these  things  in  a  loving  and  forgiving  spirit,  all  the  churches 
and  ministers  in  the  world  cannot  make  you  right.  "If  any 
man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  His." 
(Komans  viii.  9.)     "If  any  man  be  in  Christ  Jesus  he  is  a  new 


CHRIST  ALL  IN  ALL.  l05 

creature:  old  things  are  passed  away;  behold,  all  things  are 
become  new."     (2  Cor.  v.  17.) 

Christ  is  not  only  our  way  He  is  the  Light  upon  the  way. 
He  says,  **I  am  the  Light  of  the  world."  (John  viii.  12;  ix.  5; 
xii.  46.)  He  goes  on  to  say,  "He  that  followeth  Me  shall  not 
walk  in  darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of  life."  It  is  im- 
possible for  any  man  or  woman  who  is  following  Christ  to 
walk  in  darkness.  If  your  soul  is  in  the  darkness,  grop- 
ing around  in  the  fog  and  mist  of  earth,  let  me  tell  you 
it  is  because  you  have  got  away  from  the  true  light.  There  is 
nothing  but  light  that  will  dispel  darkness.  So  let  those  who 
are  walking  in  spiritual  darkness  admit  Christ  into  their  hearts : 
He  is  the  Light.  I  call  to  mind  a  picture  of  which  I  used  at 
one  time  to  think  a  good  deal ;  but  now  I  have  come  to  look 
more  closely,  I  would  not  pui}  it  up  in  my  house  except  1 
turned  the  face  to  the  wall.  It  represents  Christ  as  standing 
at  a  door,  knocking,  and  having  a  big  lantern  in  His  hand. 
Why,  you  might  as  well  hang  up  a  lantern  to  the  sun  as  put 
one  into  Christ's  hand.  He  is  the  Sun  of  Kighteousness;  and 
it  is  our  privilege  to  walk  in  the  light  of  an  unclouded  sun. 

Many  people  are  hunting  after  light,  and  peace,  and  joy. 
We  are  nowhere  told  to  seek  after  these  things.  If  we  admit 
Christ  into  our  hearts  these  will  all  come  of  themselves.  I 
remember,  when  a  boy,  I  used  to  try  in  vain  to  catch  my 
shadow.  One  day  I  was  walking  with  my  face  to  the  sun ; 
and  as  I  happened  to  look  around  I  saw  that  my  shadow  was 
followinsf  me.  The  faster  I  went  the  faster  mv  shadow  fol- 
lowed;  I  could  not  get  away  from  it.  So  when  our  faces  are 
directed  to  the  Sun  of  Rigliteousness,  the  peace  and  joy  are 
sure  to  come.  A  man  said  to  me  some  time  ago,  "Moody, 
how  do  you  feel?"  It  was  so  long  since  I  had  thought  about 
my  feelings  I  had  to  stop  and  consider  awhile,  in  order  to  find 
out.     Some  Christians  are  all  the  time  thinking  about  their 


106  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

feelings;  and  because  they  do  not  feel  just  right  they  think 
their  joy  is  all  gone.  If  we  keep  our  faces  towards  Christ,  and 
are  occupied  with  Him,  w^e  shall  he  lifted  out  of  the  darkness 
and  the  trouble  that  may  have  gathered  round  our  path. 

I  remember  being  in  a  meeting  after  the  war  of  the  great 
rebellion  broke  out.  The  war  had  been  going  on  for  about  six 
months.  The  army  of  the  North  had  been  defeated  at  Bull 
Run,  in  fact,  we  had  nothing  but  defeat,  and  it  looked  as 
though  the  republic  was  going  to  pieces.  So  we  were  much 
cast  down  and  discouraged.  At  this  meeting  every  speaker 
for  awhile  seemed  as  if  he  ha4  hung  his  harp  upon  the  willow; 
and  it  was  one  of  the  gloomiest  meetings  I  ever  attended. 
Finally  an  old  man  with  beautiful  white  hair  got  up  to  speak, 
and  his  face  literally  shone.  "Young  men,"  he  said  "you  do 
not  talk  hke  sons  of  the  King.  Though  it  is  dark  just  here, 
remember  it  is  light  somewhere  else."  Then  he  went  on  to 
say  that  if  it  were  dark  all  over  the  world,  it  was  light  up 
around  the  Throne. 

He  told  us  he  had  come  from  the  east,  where  a  friend  had 
described  to  him  how  he  had  been  up  a  mountain  to  spend 
the  night  and  see  the  sun  rise.  As  the  party  were  climbing  up 
the  mountain,  and  before  they  had  reached  the  summit,  a 
storm  came  on.  This  friend  said  to  the  guide,  "I  will  give 
this  up;  take  me  back."  The  guide  smiled,  and  rephed,  "I 
think  we  shall  get  above  the  storm  soon."  On  they  went;  and 
it  was  not  long  before  they  got  up  to  where  it  was  as  calm  as 
any  summer  evening.  Dov/n  in  the  valley  a  terrible  storm 
raged;  they  could  hear  the  thunder  rolling,  and  see  the 
hghtning's  flash;  but  all  was  serene  on  the  mountain  top. 
"And  so,  my  young  friends,"  continued  the  old  man,  ''though 
all  is  dark  around  you,  come  a  little  higher  and  the  darkness 
will  flee  away."  Often  when  I  have  been  inclined  to  get  dis- 
couraged, I  have  thought  of  what  he  said.     Now  if  you  are 


CHRIST  ALL  IN  ALL.  lOl 

down  in  the  valley  amidst  the  thick  fog  and  the  darkness,  get 
a  little  higher;  get  nearer  to  Christ,  and  know  more  of  Him. 
You  remember  the  Bible  says,  that  when  Christ  expired  on 
the  cross,  the  light  of  the  world  was  put  out.  God  sent  His 
Son  to  be  the  light  of  the  world;  but  men  did  not  love  the 
light  because  it  reproved  them  of  their  sins.  When  they  were 
about  to  put  out  this  light,  what  did  Christ  say  to  His  disciples? 
"Ye  shall  be  witnesses  unto  Me."  (Acts  i.  8.)  He  has  gone 
up  yonder  to  intercede  for  us;  but  He  wants  us  to  shine  for 
Him  down  here.  "Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world."  (Matt.  v. 
1-4.)  So  our  work  is  to  shine;  not  to  blow  our  own  trumpet 
so  that  people  may  look  at  us.  What  we  want  to  do  is  to  show 
forth  Christ.  If  we  have  &11J  light  at  all  it  is  borrowed  light. 
Some  one  said  to  a  young  Christian:  "Converted!  it  is  all 
moonshine!"  Said  he:  "I  thank  you  for  the  illustration; 
the  moon  borrows  its  light  from  the  sun ;  and  we  borrow  ours 
from  the  Sun  of  Kighteousness."  If  we  are  Christ's,  we  are 
here  to  shine  for  Him:  by  and  by  he  will  call  us  home  to  our 
reward. 

I  remember  hearing  of  a  blind  man  who  sat  by  the  way- 
side with  a  lantern  near  him.  When  he  was  asked  what  he 
had  a  lantern  for,  as  he  could  not  see  the  light,  he  said  it  was 
that  people  should  not  stumble  over  him.  I  believe  more 
people  stumble  over  the  inconsistencies  of  professed  Chris- 
tians than  from  any  other  cause.  What  is  doing  more  harm 
to  the  cause  of  Christ  than  all  the  scepticism  in  the  world  is 
this  cold,  dead  formalism,  this  conformity  to  the  world,  this 
professing  what  we  do  not  possess.  The  eyes  of  the  world  are 
upon  us.  I  think  it  was  George  Fox  who  said  every  Quaker 
ought  to  light  up  the  country  for  ten  miles  around  him.  If 
we  were  all  brightly  shining  for  the  Master,  those  about  us 
would  soon  be  reached,  and  there  would  be  a  shout  of  praise 
going  to  heaven. 


108  •  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

People  say  :  "I  want  to  know  what  is  the  truth."  Listen: 
"I  AM  THE  TRUTH,"  sajs  Christ.  (John  xiv.  5.)  If  you  want 
to  know  what  the  truth  is,  get  acquainted  with  Christ.  Peo- 
ple also  complain  that  they  have  not  life.  Many  are  trying 
to  give  themselves  spiritual  life.  You  may  galvanize  your- 
selves and  put  electricity  into  yourselves,  so  to  speak;  but  the 
effect  w^ill  not  last  very  long.  Christ  alone  is  the  author  of 
life.  If  you  would  have  real  spiritual  life,  get  to  know  Christ. 
Many  try  to  stir  up  spiritual  life  by  going  to  meetings.  That 
may  be  w^ell  enough;  but  it  will  be  of  no  use,  unless  they  get 
into  contact  with  the  living  Christ,  Then  their  spiritual  life 
will  not  be  a  spasmodic  thing,  but  v/ill  be  perpetual;  flowing 
on  and  on,  and  bringing  forth  fruit  to  God. 

Then  Christ  is  our  Keeper.  A  great  many  young  disci  - 
pies  are  afraid  they  will  not  hold  out.  "He  that  keepeth 
Israel  shall  neither  slumber  nor  sleep."  (Psalm  cxxi.  4.)  It 
is  the  work  of  Christ  to  keep  us;  and  if  He  keeps  us  there 
will  be  no  danger  of  our  falhng.  I  suppose  if  Queen  Victoria 
had  to  take  care  of  the  Crov/n  of  England,  some  thief  might 
attempt  to  get  access  to  it;  but  it  is  put  away  in  the  Tower  of 
London,  and  guarded  night  and  day  by  soldiers.  The  whole 
English  army  would,  if  necessary,  be  called  out  to  protect  it. 
And  we  have  no  strength  in  ourselves.  We  are  no  match  for 
Satan;  he  has  had  six  thousand  years'  experience.  But  then 
we  remember  that  the  One  who  neither  slumbers  nor  sleeps  is 
our  keeper.  In  Isaiah  xli.  10,  we  read,  «*  Fear  thou  not,  for  I 
am  with  thee;  be  not  dismayed,  for  I  am  thy  God;  I  will 
strengthen  thee;  yea,  I  will  help  thee;  yea,  I  will  uphold  thee 
with  the  right  hand  of  My  righteousness."  In  Jude  also, 
verse  24,  we  are  told  that  He  is  "  able  to  keep  us  from  fall- 
ing." "We  have  an  Advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ 
the  righteous."     (I  John  ii.  1.) 


CHRIST  ALL  IN  ALL.  109 

But  Christ  is  something  more.  He  is  our  Shepherd.  It 
is  the  work  of  the  shepherd  to  care  for  the  sheep,  to  feed  them 
and  protect  them.  *'I  am  the  Good  Shepherd;"  "  My  sheep 
hear  My  voice."  "I  lay  down  My  hfo  for  the  sheep."  In 
that  wonderful  tenth  chapter  of  John,  Christ  uses  the  personal 
pronoun  no  less  than  twenty-eight  times,  in  declaring  what 
He  is  and  what  He  will  do.  In  verse  28  He  says,  "  Tlie}^ 
shall  never  perish;  neither  shall  any  \_inan']  pluck  them  out  of 
My  hand."  But  notice  the  word  "  man  "  is  in  italics.  See 
how  the  verse  really  reads:  "Neither  shall  any  pluck  them 
out  of  My  hand  " — no  devil  or  man  shall  be  able  to  do  it.  In 
another  place  the  Scripture  declares,  "Your  life  is  hid  with 
Christ  in  God."     (Col.  iii.  3.)     How  safe  and  how  secure! 

Christ  says,  '*  My  sheep  hear  My  voice  .  .  .  and  they  fol- 
low Me."  (John  x.  27.)  A  gentleman  in  the  East  heard  of 
a  shepherd  who  could  call  all  his  sheep  to  him  by  name.  He 
went  and  asked  if  this  was  true.  The  shepherd  took  him  to 
the  pasture  where  they  were,  and  called  one  of  them  by  some 
name.  One  sheep  looked  up  and  answered  the  call,  while  the 
others  went  on  feeding  and  paid  no  attention.  In  the  same 
way  he  called  about  a  dozen  of  the  sheep  around  him.  The 
stranger  said,  "  How  do  you  know  one  from  the  other?  They 
all  look  perfectly  alike."  "Well,"  said  he,  "you  see  that 
sheep  toes  in  a  little;  that  other  one  has  a  squint;  one  has  a 
little  piece  of  wool  off;  another  has  a  black  spot;  and  another 
has  a  piece  out  of  its  ear."  The  man  knew  all  his  sheep  by 
their  failings,  for  he  had  not  a  perfect  one  in  the  whole  flock. 
I  suppose  our  Shepherd  knows  us  in  the  same  way. 

An  Eastern  shepherd  was  once  telling  a  gentleman  that 
his  sheep  knew  his  voice,  and  that  no  stranger  could  deceive 
them.  The  gentleman  thought  he  would  like  to  put  the  state- 
ment to  the  test.  So  he  put  on  the  shepherd's  frock  and  tur- 
ban, and  took  his  staff  and  went  to  the  flock.     He  disguised 


110  THE  ^VAY  TO  GOD. 

his  voice,  and  tried  to  speak  as  much  like  the  shepherd  as  he 
could;  hut  he  could  not  get  a  single  sheep  in  the  flock  to  fol- 
low him.  He  asked  the  shepherd  if  his  sheep  never  followed 
a  stranger.  He  was  obliged  to  admit  that  if  a  sheep  got  sickly 
it  would  follow  any  one.  So  it  is  with  a  good  many  professed 
Christians;  when  they  get  sickly  and  weak  in  the  faith,  they 
will  follow  any  teacher  that  comes  along;  hut  when  the  soul 
is  in  health,  a  man  will  not  be  carried  away  by  errors  and 
heresies.  He  will  know  whether  the  **  voice"  speaks  the 
truth  or  not.  He  can  soon  tell  that,  if  he  is  really  in  com- 
munion with  God.  When  God  sends  a  true  messenger  his 
words  will  find  a  ready  response  in  the  Christian  heart. 

Christ  is  a  tender  Shepherd.  You  may  some  time  think 
He  has  not  been  a  very  tender  Shepherd  to  you;  you  are  pass- 
ing under  the  rod.  It  it  written,  *'  Whom  the  Lord  loveth  He 
chasteneth,  and  scourgeth  every  son  whom  He  receiveth." 
(Heb.  xii.  6.)  That  you  are  passing  under  the  rod  is  no  proof 
that  Christ  does  not  love  you.  A  friend  of  mine  lost  all  his 
children.  No  man  could  ever  have  loved  his  family  more; 
but  the  scarlet  fever  took  one  by  one  away;  and  so  the  whole 
four  or  five,  one  after  another,  died.  The  poor  stricken  parents 
went  over  to  great  Britain,  and  wandered  from  one  place  to 
another,  there  and  on  the  continent.  At  length  they  found 
their  way  to  Syria.  One  day  they  saw  an  Eastern  shepherd 
come  down  to  a  stream,  and  call  his  flock  to  cross.  The  sheep 
came  down  to  the  brink,  and  looked  at  the  water;  but  they 
seemed  to  shrink  from  it,  and  he  could  not  get  them  to  respond 
to  his  calL  He  then  took  a  little  lamb,  put  it  uuder  one  arm; 
he  took  another  lamb  and  put  it  under  the  other  arm,  and 
thus  passed  into  the  stream.  The  old  sheep  no  longer  stood 
looking  at  the  water :  they  plunged  in  after  the  shepherd :  and 
in  a  few  minutes  the  whole  flock  was  on  the  other  side ;  and 
be  led  them  away  to  newer  and  fresher  pastures.     The  be^ 


CHRIST  ALL  IN  ALL.  Ill 

reaved  father  and  mt)ther,  as  they  looked  on  the  scene,  felt 
that  it  taught  them  a  lesson.  They  no  longer  murmured 
because  the  Great  Shepherd  had  taken  their  lambs  one  by  one 
into  yonder  world ;  and  they  began  to  look  up  and  look  for- 
ward to  the  time  when  they  would  follow  the  loved  ones  they 
had  lost.  If  you  have  loved  ones  gone  before,  remember  that 
your  Shepherd  is  calling  you  to  **  set  your  affection  on  things 
above."  (Col.  iii.  2.)  Let  us  be  faithful  to  Him,  and  follow 
Him,  while  we  remain  in  this  world.  And  if  you  have  not 
taken  Him  for  your  Shepherd,  do  so  this  very  day. 

Christ  is  not  only  all  these  things  that  I  have  mentioned : 
He  is  also  our  Mediator,  our  Sanctifier,  our  Justifier;  in  fact, 
it  would  take  volumes  to  tell  what  He  desires  to  be  to  every 
individual  soul.  While  looking  through  some  papers  I  once 
read  this  wonderful  description  of  Christ.  I  do  not  know 
where  it  originally  came  from ;  but  it  was  so  fresh  to  my  soul 
that  I  should  like  to  give  it  to  you : — 

'*  Christ  is  our  Way;  we  walk  in  Him.  He  is  our  Truth; 
we  embrace  Him.  He  is  our  Life;  we  live  in  Him.  He  is 
our  Lord;  we  choose  Him  to  rule  over  us.  He  is  our  Master; 
we  serve  Him.  He  is  our  Teacher,  instructing  us  in  the  way 
of  salvation.  He  is  our  Prophet,  pointing  out  the  future.  He 
is  our  Priest,  having  atoned  for  us.  He  is  our  Advocate,  ever 
living  to  make  intercession  for  us.  He  is  our  Saviour,  saving 
to  the  uttermost.  He  is  our  Eoot;  we  grow  from  Him.  He 
is  our  Bread;  we  feed  upon  Him.  He  is  our  Shepherd,  lead- 
ing us  into  green  pastures.  He  is  our  true  Vine ;  we  abide  in 
Him.  He  is  the  Water  of  Life;  we  slake  our  thirst  from  Him. 
He  is  the  fairest  among  ten  thousand  :  we  admire  Him  above 
all  others.  He  is  *  the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory,  and 
the  express  image  of  His  person;'  w^e  strive  to  reflect  His  like- 
ness. He  is  the  upholder  of  all  things;  we  rest  upon  Him. 
He  is  Qiir  wisdom;  we  are  guided  by  Him.     He  is  our  Right- 


112  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 


eousness;  we  cast  all  our  imperfection^S  upon  Him.  He  is 
our  Sanctification ;  we  draw  all  our  power  for  holy  life  from 
Him.  He  is  our  Eedemption,  redeeming  us  from  all  iniquity. 
He  is  our  Healer,  curing  ail  our  diseases.  He  is  our  Friend, 
relieving  us  in  all  our  necessities.  He  is  our  Brother,  cheer- 
ing us  in  our  difficulties." 

Here  is  another  beautiful  extract :  it  is  from  Gotthold : 
"■  For  my  part,  my  soul  is  lik'e  a  hungry  and  thirsty  child; 
and  I  need  His  love  and  consolation  for  my  refreshment.  I 
am  a  wandering  and  lost  sheep ;  and  I  need  Him  as  a  good 
and  faithful  shepherd.  My  soul  is  like  a  frightened  dove 
pursued  by  the  hawk;  and  I  need  His  wounds  for  a 
refuge.  I  am  a  feeble  vine;  and  I  need  His  cross  to 
lay  hold  of,  and  to  wind  myself  about.  I  am  a  sinner; 
and  I  need  His  righteousness.  I  am  naked  and  bare; 
and  I  need  His  holiness  and  innocence  for  a  covering.  I  am 
ignorant;  and  I  need  His  teaching:  simple  and  foolish;  and 
I  need  the  guidance  of  His  Holy  Spirit.  In  no  situation,  and 
at  no  time,  can  I  do  without  Him.  Do  I  pray?  He  m.ust 
prompt,  and  intercede  for  me.  Am  I  arraigned  by  Satan  at 
the  Divine  tribunal?  He  must  be  my  Advocate.  Ami  in 
affliction?  He  must  be  my  Helper.  Am  I  persecuted  by  the 
world?  He  must  defend  me.  When  I  am  forsaken.  He  must 
be  my  Support;  when  I  am 'dying,  my  life:  when  mouldering 
in  the  grave,  my  Eesurrection.  "Well,  then,  I  will  rather  part 
with  all  the  world,  and  all  that  it  contains,  than  with  Thee, 
my  Saviour.  And,  God  be  thanked  I  I  know  that  Thou,  too, 
art  neither  able  nor  v/illing  to  do  without  me.  Thou  art  ricli ; 
and  I  am  poor.  Thou  hast  abundance;  and  I  am  needy. 
Thou  hast  righteousness;  and  I  sins.  Thou  hast  wine  and 
oil;  and  I  v/ounds.  Thou  hast  cordials  and  refreshments; 
and  I  hunger  and  thirst. 


CHRIS T  A  L L  IX  ALL.  113 

Use  me  then,  my  Saviour,  for  whatever  purpose,  and  in 
whatever  way,  Thou  mayest  require.  Here  is  my  poor  heart, 
an  empty  vessel ;  fill  it  with  Thy  grace.  Here  is  my  sinful 
and  troubled  soul;  quicken  and  refresh  it  with  Thy  love. 
Take  my  heart  for  Thine  abode ;  my  mouth  to  spread  the  glory 
of  Thy  name;  my  love  and  all  my  powers,  for  the  advance- 
ment of  Thy  believing  people;  and  never  suffer  the  steadfast- 
ness and  confidence  of  my  faith  to  abate — that  so  at  all  times 
I  may  be  enabled  fi-om  the  heart  to  say,  '  Jesus  needs  me,  and 
I  Him;  and  so  we  suit  each  other.* " 


114  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 


CHAPTER    IX. 
BACKSLIDING. 

•  I  -vrill  heal  their  backsliding ;  I  -will  love  *hem  freely :  for  Mine  anger  ia  turned 

away.  '— Hosea  xiv.  4. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  backsliders.  Some  have  never 
been  converted:  they  have  gone  through  the  form  of  joining  a 
Christian  community  and  claim  to  be  backsliders;  but  they 
never  have,  if  I  may  use  the  expression,  "  slid  forward." 
They  may  talk  of  back-sliding;  but  they  have  never  really 
been  born  again.  They  need  to  be  treated  differently  from  real 
back-sliders — those  who  have  been  born  of  the  incorruptible 
seed,  but  who  have  turned  aside.  We  want  to  bring  the  latter 
back  the  same  road  by  which  they  left  their  first  love 

Turn  to  Psalm  Ixxxv.  5.  There  you  read  :  "  Wilt  Thou 
be  angry  with  us  for  ever?  wilt  Thou  draw  out  Thine  anger 
to  all  generations?  wilt  Thou  not  revive  us  again :  that  Thy 
people  may  rejoice  in  Thee?  Show  us  Thy  mercy,  0  Lord; 
and  grant  us  Thy  salvation."  Now  look  again:  ^^ I  mil  hear 
what  God  the  Lord  will  speak :  for  He  will  speak  peace  unto  His 
people,  and  to  His  saints;  but  let  them  not  turn  again  to 
folly '\verse  8). 

There  is  nothing  that  will  do  back- sliders  so  much  good  as 
to  come  in  contact  with  the  Word  of  God ;  and  for  them  the 
Old  Testament  is  as  full  of  help  as  the  New.  The  book  of 
Jeremiah  has  some  wonderful  passages  for  wanderers.  What 
we  want  to  do  is  to  get  back-shders  to  hear  what  God  the  Lord 
will  say. 


BA  CR SLIDING.  115 


Look  for  a  moment  at  Jeremiah  vi.  10.  **  To  whom  shall 
I  speak,  and  give  warning,  that  they  may  hear?  behold,  their 
ear  is  uncircumcised,  and  they  cannot  hearken  :  behold,  the 
word  of  the  Lord  is  unto  them  a  reproach;  they  have  no  de- 
light in  it."  That  is  the  condition  of  back-sliders.  They 
have  no  delight  whatever  in  the  word  of  God.  But  we  want  to 
bring  them  back,  and  let  God  get  their  ear.  Read  from  the 
14th  verse  :  "They  have  healed  also  the  hurt  of  the  daughter 
of  My  people  slightly,  saying,  Peace,  peace;  when  there  is  no 
peace.  Were  they  ashamed  when  they  had  committed  abom- 
ination? nay,  they  were  not  at  all  ashamed,  neither  could  they 
blush  :  therefore  they  shall  fall  among  them  that  fall :  at  the 
time  that  I  visit  them  they  shall  be  cast  down,  saith  the  Lord. 
Thus  saith  the  Lord,  Stand  ye  in  the  ways,  and  see,  and  ask 
for  the  old  paths,  where  is  the  good  way,  and  walk  therein; 
and  ye  shall  find  rest  for  your  souls.  But  they  said.  We  will 
not  walk  therein.  Also  I  set  watchmen  over  you,  saying. 
Hearken  to  the  sound  of  the  trumpet.  But  they  said.  We  will 
not  hearken." 

That  was  the  condition  of  the  Jews  when  they  had  back- 
slidden. They  had  turned  away  from  the  old  paths.  And 
that  is  the  condition  of  backsliders.  They  have  got  away 
from  the  good  old  book.  Adam  and  Eve  fell  by  not  hearken- 
ing to  the  word  of  God.  They  did  not  believe  God's  word; 
but  they  believed  the  tempter.  That  is  the  way  backsliders 
fall — by  turning  away  from  the  word  of  God. 

In  Jeremiah  ii.  we  find  God  pleading  with  them  as  a  father 
would  plead  with  a  son.  **  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  What  ini- 
quity have  your  fathers  found  in  Me,  that  they  are  gone 
from  Me,  and  have  walked  after  vanity,  and  are  become  vain? 
.  .  .  Wherefore  I  will  yet  plead  with  you,  saith  the  Lord ;  and 
with  your  children's  children  will  I  plead  .  .  .  For  my  people 
have  committed  two  evils  :  they  have  forsaken  Me,  the  Foun- 


116  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

tain  of  living  waters;  and  hewed  them  out  cisterns,  broken 
cisterns,  that  can  hold  no  water." 

Now  there  is  one  thing  to  which  we  wish  to  call  the  atten- 
tion of  backsliders;  and  that  is,  that  the  Lord  never  forsook 
thera ;  but  that  they  forsook  Him !  The  Lord  never  left  them; 
but  they  left  Him!  And  this,  too,  without  any  cause!  He 
says  :  "  What  iniquity  have  your  fathers  found  in  Me,  that 
they  are  gone  far  from  Me?"  Is  not  God  the  same  to-day  as 
when  you  came  to  Him  first?  Has  God  changed?  Men  are 
apt  to  think  that  God  has  changed;  but  the  fault  is  with  them. 
Backslider,  I  would  ask  you,  "  What  iniquity  is  there  in  God, 
that  you  have  left  Him  and  gone  far  from  Him?"  You  have, 
He  says,  hewed  out  to  yourselves  broken  cisterns  that  hold  no 
water.  The  world  cannot  satisfy  the  new  nature.  No  earthly 
well  can  satisfy  the  soul  that  has  become  a  partaker  of  the 
heavenly  nature.  Honor,  wealth  and  the  pleasures  of  this 
world,  will  not  satisfy  those  who,  having  tasted  the  water  of 
life,  have  gone  astray,  seeking  refreshment  at  the  world's  foun- 
tains. Earthly  wells  will  get  dry.  They  cannot  quench  spirit- 
ual thirst. 

Again  ;  in  the  32d  verse.  "  Can  a  maid  forget  her  orna- 
ments, or  a  bride  her  attire?  yet  My  yeoplehave  forgotten  Me, 
days  without  number.  That  is  the  charge  which  God  brings 
against  the  backslider.  They  ''have  forgotten  Me,  days  with- 
out number." 

I  have  often  startled  young  ladies  w4ien  I  have  said  to 
them,  "  My  friend,  you  think  more  of  your  ear-rings  than  of 
the  Lord."  The  reply  hag  been,  "  No,  I  do  not."  But  when 
I  have  asked,  **  Would  you  not  be  troubled  if  you  lost  one; 
and  would  you  not  set  about  seeking  for  it?"  the  answer  has 
been,  "Well,  yes,  I  think  I  should."  But  though  they  had 
turned  from  the  Lord,  it  did  not  give  them  any  trouble;  nor 
did  they  seek  after  Him  that  they  might  find  Him. 


BA  CK  SLIDING .  11'^ 


How  mauy  once  in  fellowship  and  in  daily  communion 
with  the  Lord  now  think  more  of  their  dresses  and  ornaments 
than  of  their  precious  souls !  Love  does  not  like  to  be  for- 
gotten. Mothers  would  have  broken  hearts  if  their  children 
left  them  and  never  wrote  a  word  or  sent  any  memento  of  their 
affection ;  and  God  pleads  over  backsliders  as  a  parent  over 
loved  ones  who  have  gone  astray.  He  tries  to  woo  them  back. 
He  asks:  **  What  have  I  done  that  you  should  have  forsaken 
Me?" 

The  most  tender  and  loving  words  to  be  found  in  the  whole 
of  the  Bible  are  from  Jehovah  to  those  who  have  left  Him 
without  a  cause.    Jer.  ii.  19. 

Hear  how  He  argues  with  such:  (Jer.  xi.  19.)  "Thine 
own  wickedness  shall  correct  thee,  and  thy  backslidings  shall 
reprove  thee;  know,  therefore,  and  see,  that  it  is  an  evil  thing 
and  bitter,  that  thou  hast  forsaken  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  that 
My  fear  is  not  in  thee,  saith  the  Lord  God  of  hosts." 

I  do  not  exaggerate  when  I  say  that  I  have  seen  hundreds 
of  backsliders  come  back;  and  I  have  asked  them  if  they  have 
not  found  it  an  evil  and  a  bitter  thing  to  leave  the  Lord.  You 
cannot  find  a  real  backslider,  who  has  known  the  Lord,  but 
will  admit  that  it  is  an  evil  and  a  bitter  thing  to  turn  away 
from  Him;  and  I  do  not  know  of  any  one  verse  more  used  to 
bring  back  wanderers  than  that  veiy  one.  May  it  bring  you 
back  if  you  have  wandered  into  the  far  country. 

Look  at  Lot.  Did  not  he  find  it  an  evil  and  a  bitter  thing? 
He  was  twenty  years  in  Sodom,  and  never  made  a  convert. 
He  got  on  well  in  the  sight  of  the  world.  Men  would  have 
told  you  that  he  was  one  of  the  most  influential  and  worthy 
men  in  all  Sodom.  But  alas!  alas!  he  mined  his  family. 
And  it  is  a  pitiful  sight  to  see  that  old  backslider  going  through 
the  streets  of  Sodom  at  midnight,  after  he  has  warned  his 
children,  and  they  have  turned  a  deaf  ear. 


118  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

I  have  never  known  a  man  and  his  wife  backshde,  without 
its  proving  utter  ruin  to  their  children.  They  will  make  a 
mockery  of  religion  and  will  deride  their  parents :  "Thine  own 
wickedness  shall  correct  thee;  and  thy  backsliding  slmll  re- 
prove thee!"  Did  not  David  find  it  so?  Mark  him,  crying, 
"0  my  son  Absalom,  my  son,  my  son  Absalom!  would  God  I 
had  died  for  thee;  0  Absalom,  my  son,  my  son!"  I  think  it 
was  the  ruin,  rather  than  the  death  of  his  son  that  caused  this 
anguish. 

I  remember  being  engaged  in  conversation  some  years  ago, 
till  past  midnight,  with  an  old  man.  He  had  been  for  years 
wandering  on  the  barren  mountains  of  sin.  That  night  he 
wanted  to  get  back.  We  prayed,  and  prayed,  and  prayed,  till 
light  broke  in  upon  him;  and  he  went  away  rejoicing.  The 
next  night  he  sat  in  front  of  me  when  I  was  preaching,  and  I 
think  that  I  never  saw  any  one  look  so  sad  and  wretched  in  all 
my  life.  He  followed  me  into  the  enquiry-room.  "What  is 
the  trouble?"  I  asked.  "Is  your  eye  off  the  Saviour?  Have 
your  doubts  come  back?"  "No;  it  is  not  that,"  he  said.  "I 
did  not  go  to  business,  but  spent  all  this  day  in  visiting  my 
children.  They  are  all  married  and  in  this  city.  I  went  from 
house  to  house,  but  there  was  not  one  but  mocked  me.  It  is 
the  darkest  day  of  my  life.  I  have  awoke  up  to  what  I  have 
done.  I  have  taken  my  children  into  the  world;  and  now  I 
cannot  get  them  out. "  The  Lord  had  restored  unto  him  the 
joy  of  His  salvation;  yet  there  was  the  bitter  consequence  of 
his  transgression.  You  can  run  through  your  experience; 
and  you  can  find  just  such  instances  repeated  again  and  again. 
Many  who  came  to  your  city  years  ago  serving  God,  in  their 
prosperity  have  forgotten  Him  :  and  where  are  their  sons  and 
daughters  ?  Show  me  the  father  aiid  mother  who  have  deserted 
the  Lord  and  gone  back  to  the  beggarly  elements  of  the  world; 
and  I  am  mistaken  if  their  children  are  not  on  the  high  road 
to  ruin. 


BACKSLIDING.  119 


As  we  desire  to  be  faithful  we  warn  these  backsliders.  It  is 
a  sign  of  love  to  warn  of  danger.  We  may  be  looked  upon  as 
enemies  for  a  while ;  but  the  truest  friends  are  those  who  lift  up 
the  voice  of  warning.  Israel  had  no  truer  friend  than  Moses. 
In  Jeremiah  God  gave  His  people  a  weeping  prophet  to  bring 
them  back  to  Him;  but  they  cast  off  God.  They  forgot  the  God 
who  brought  them  out  of  Egypt,  and  who  led  them  through 
the  desert  into  the  promised  land.  In  their  prosperity  they 
forget  Him  and  turned  away.  The  Lord  had  told  them  what 
would  happen.  (Deut.  xxviii.)  And  see  what  did  happen. 
The  king  who  make  light  of  the  word  of  God  was  taken  captive 
by  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  his  children  brought  up  in  front  of 
him  and  every  one  slain;  his  eyes  were  put/  out  of  his  head; 
and  he  was  bound  in  fetters  of  brass  and  cast  into  a  dungeon 
in  Babylon.  (2  Kings  xxv.  7.)  That  is  the  way  he  reaped 
what  he  had  sown.  Surely  it  is  an  evil  and  a  bitter  thing  to 
backslide,  but  the  Lord  would  win  you  back  with  the  message 
of  His  Work. 

In  Jeremiah  viii.  5,  we  read  :  "Why  then  is  this  people  of 
Jerusalem  slidden  by  a  perpetual  backsliding?  They  holdfast 
deceit;  They  refuse  to  return.''  That  is  what  the  Lord  brings 
against  them.  "They  refuse  to  return."  "I  hearkened  and 
heard;  but  they  spake  not  aright:  no  man  repented  him  of 
his  wickedness,  saying,  What  have  I  done?  Every  one  turned 
to  his  course,  as  the  horse  rusheth  into  the  battle.  Yea,  the 
stork  in  the  heaven  knoweth  her  appointed  times ;  and  the 
turtle  and  the  crane  and  the  swallow  observe  the  time  of  their 
coming;  but  My  people  know  not  the  judgment  of  the  Lord." 

Now  look:  *'I  hearkened  and  heard;  but  they  spake  not 
aright."  No  family  altar!  No  reading  the  Bible!  No  closet 
devotion!  God  stoops  to  hear;  but  His  people  have  turned 
away !  If  there  be  a  penitent  backslider,  one  who  is  anxious 
for  pardon  and  restoration,  you  will  lind  no  words  more  tender 


120  TH^  WAY  TO  GOD. 

than  are  to  be  found  in  Jeremiah  iii.  12:  "Go,  and  proclaim 
these  words  toward  the  north,  and  say,  Return,  thou  backsHd- 
ing  Israel,  saith  the  Lord;  and  I  will  not  cause  Mine  anger  to 
fall  upon  you :  for  I  am  merciful,  saith  the  Lord,  and  I  will 
not  keep  anger  forever."  Now  notice:  "Only  acknowledge 
thine  iniquity,  that  thou  hast  transgressed  against  the  Lord 
thy  God,  and  hast  scattered  thy  ways  to  the  stranger  under 
every  green  tree,  and  ye  have  not  obeyed  My  voice,  saith  the 
Lord.  Turn,  0  backsliding  children,  saith  the  Lord;  for  I 
am  married  unto  you" — think  of  God  coming  and  saying,  *♦/ 
am  married  unto  you! — and  I  will  take  you  one  of  a  city,  and 
two  of  a  family,  and  I  will  bring  you  to  Zion." 

"Only  acknowledge  thine  iniquity."  How  many  times 
have  I  held  that  passage  up  to  a  backslider!  "Acknowledge" 
it;  and  God  says  I  will  forgive  you.  I  remember  a  man  ask- 
ing, "Who  said  that?  Is  that  there?"  And  I  held  up  to  him 
the  passage,  "Only  acknowledge  thine  iniquity;"  and  the  man 
went  down  on  his  knees,  and  cried,  "My  God,  I  have  sinned"; 
and  the  Lord  restored  him  there  and  then.  If  you  have  wan- 
dered. He  wants  you  to  come  back. 

He  says  in  another  place,  "0  Ephraim,  what  shall  I  do 
unto  thee?  0  Judah,  what  shall  I  do  unto  thee?  for  your 
goodness  is  as  a  morning  cloud,  and  as  the  early  dew  it  goeth 
away"  (Hosea  vi.  4).  His  compassion  and  His  love  is  won- 
derful ! 

In  Jeremiah  iii.  22;  "Return,  ye  backsliding  children,  and 
I  will  heal  your  backslidings.  Behold,  we  come  unto  Thee ; 
Thou  art  the  Lord  our  God."  He  just  puts  words  into  the 
mouth  of  the  backslider.  Only  come;  and,  if  you  will  come. 
He  will  receive  you  graciously  and  love  you  freely. 

In  Hosea  xiv.  1,  2,  4:  "0  Israel,  i^turn  unto  the  Lord  thy 
God ;  for  thou  hast  fallen  by  thine  iniquity.  Take  witn  you 
■words,  and  turn  to  the  Lord  (He  puts  words  into  yo  xi  mouth;  • 


BACKSLWING.  I2l 


say  uuto  Him,  Take  away  all  iniquity,  and  receive  ns  gra- 
ciously: so  will  we  render  the  calves  of  our  lips  ...  I 
will  heal  their  backsliding,  I  will  love  them  freely,  for  Mine 
auger  is  turned  away  from  him."  Just  observe  that.  Turn! 
Turn  ! !  TuEN ! ! !  rings  all  through  these  passages. 

Now,  if  you  have  wandered,  remember  that  you  left  Him^ 
and  not  He  you.  You  have  to  get  out  of  the  backslider's  pit 
just  in  the  same  way  you  got  in.  And  if  you  take  the  same 
road  as  when  you  left  the  Master  you  will  find  Him  now,  just 
where  you  are. 

If  we  were  to  treat  Christ  as  any  earthly  friend  we  should 
never  leave  Him ;  and  there  would  never  be  a  backslider.  If  I 
were  in  a  town  for  a  single  week  I  should  not  think  of  going 
away  without  shaking  hands  with  the  friends  I  had  made,  and 
saying  "Good  bye"  to  them.  I  should  be  justly  blamed  if  I 
took  the  train  and  left  without  saying  a  word  to  any  one.  The 
cry  would  be,  "What's  the  matter?"  But  did  you  ever  hear  of 
a  backslider  bidding  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  "Good  bye  ";  going 
into  his  closet  and  saying  "Lord  Jesus,  I  have  known  Thee 
ten,  twenty,  or  thirty  years:  but  I  am  tired  of  Thy  service; 
Thy  yoke  is  not  easy,  nor  Thy  burden  light;  so  I  am  going 
back  to  the  world,  to  the  flesh  pots  of  Egypt.  Good  bye.  Lord 
Jesus!  Farewell"  ?  Did  you  ever  hear  that?  No;  you 
never  did,  and  you  never  will.  I  tell  you,  if  you  get  into  the 
closet  and  shut  out  the  world  and  hold  communion  with  the 
Master  you  cannot  leave  Him.  The  language  of  your  heart 
will  be,  "To  whom  shall  we  go,"  but  unto  Thee?  "Thou  hast 
the  words  of  eternal  life  "  (John  vi.  68).  You  could  not  go 
back  to  the  world  if  you  treated  Him  in  that  way.  But  you 
left  Him  and  ran  away.  You  have  forgotten  Him  days  with- 
out number.  Comeback  to-day;  just  as  you  are !  Make  up 
your  mind  that  you  will  not  rest  until  God  has  restored  imto 
you  the  joy  of  His  salvatioD- 


122  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 

A  gentleman  in  Cornwall  once  met  a  Christian  in  the  street 
whom  he  knew  to  be  a  backslider.  He  went  up  to  him,  and 
said  :  "Tell  me,  is  there  not  some  estrangement  between  you 
and  the  Lord  Jesus?"  The  man  hung  his  head,  and  sa.id, 
"Yes."  "Well,"  said  the  gentleman,  "what  has  He  done  to 
you?"     The  answer  to  which  was  a  flood  of  tears. 

In  Revelation  ii.  4,  5,  we  read:  "Nevertheless  I  have  some- 
what against  thee,  because  thou  hast  left  the  first  love.  Re- 
member therefore  from  whence  thou  art  fallen;  and  repent, 
and  do  the  first  works :  or  else  I  will  come  unto  thee  quickly, 
and  will  remove  thy  candlestick  out  of  his  place,  except  thou 
repent."  I  want  to  guard  you  against  a  mistake  which  some 
people  make  with  regard  to  "doing  the  first  works."  Many 
think  that  they  are  to  have  the  same  experience  over  again. 
That  has  kept  thousands  for  months  without  peace;  because 
they  have  been  waiting  for  a  renewal  of  their  first  experience. 
You  will  never  have  the  same  experience  as  Avhen  you  first 
came  to  the  Lord.  God  never  repeats  himself.  No  two  people 
of  all  earth's  millions  look  alike  or  think  alike.  You  may  say 
that  you  cannot  tell  two  people  apart;  but  when  you  get  well 
acquainted  with  them  you  can  very  quickly  distinguish  differ- 
ences. So,  no  one  person  will  have  the  same  experience  a 
second  time.  If  God  will  restore  His  joy  to  your  soul  let  Him 
do  it  in  His  way.  Do  not  mark  out  a  way  for  God  to  bless 
you.  Do  not  expect  the  same  experience  that  you  had  two  or 
twenty  years  ago.  You  will  have  a  fresh  experience,  and  God 
will  deal  with  you  in  His  own  way.  If  you  confess  your  sins 
and  tell  Him  that  you  have  wandered  from  the  path  of  His 
commandments  He  wiU  restore  unto  you  the  joy  of  His 
salvation. 

I  want  to  call  your  attention  to  the  manner  in  which  Peter 
fell;  and  I  think  that  nearly  all  fall  pretty  much  in  the  same 
way.     I  want  to  lift  up  a  warning  note  to  those  who  have  not 


BA  CK SLIDING .  123 


fallen.  "Let  him  that  thinketh  he  standeth,  take  heed  lest  he 
fall"  (1  Cor.  X.  12).  Twenty-five  years  ago — and  for  the  first 
five  years  after  I  was  converted — I  used  to  think  that  if  I  were 
able  to  stand  for  twenty  years  I  need  fear  no  fall.  But  the 
nearer  you  get  to  the  Cross  the  fiercer  the  battle.  Satan  aims 
high.  He  went  amongst  the  twelve;  and  singled  out  the 
Treasurer — Judas  Iscariot,  and  the  Chief  Apostle— :Peter. 
Most  men  who  have  fallen  have  done  so  on  the  strongest  side 
of  their  character.  I  am  told  that  the  only  side  upon  which 
Edinburgh  Castle  was  successfully  assailed  w^as  where  the 
rocks  were  steepest,  and  where  the  garrison  thought  them- 
selves secure.  If  any  man  thinks  that  he  is  strong  enough  to 
resist  the  devil  at  any  one  point  he  needs  special  watch  there, 
for  the  tempter  comes  that  way. 

Abraham  stands,  as  it  were,  at  the  head  of  the  family  of 
faith ;  and  the  children  of  faith  may  be  said  to  trace  their 
descent  to  Abraham :  and  yet  dow^n  in  Egypt  he  denied  his 
wife.  (Gen.  xii.)  Moses  was  noted  for  his  meekness;  and 
yet  he  was  kept  out  of  the  promised  land  because  of  one  hasty 
act  and  speech,  when  he  w^as  told  by  the  Lord  to  speak  to  the 
rock  so  that  the  congregation  and  their  beasts  should  have 
water  to  drink.  "Hear  now,  ye  rebels;  must  w^e  fetch  you 
water  out  of  this  rock?"  (Num.  xx.  10). 

Elijah  was  remarkable  for  his  boldness  :  and  yet  he  went 
off  a  day's  journey  into  the  wilderness  like  a  coward  and  hid 
himself  under  a  juniper  tree,  requesting  for  himself  that  he 
might  die,  because  of  a  message  he  received  from  a  woman. 
(1  Kings  xix.)  Let  us  be  careful.  No  matter  who  the  man  is 
— he  may  be  in  the  pulpit — but  if  he  gets  self-conceited  he  will 
be  sure  to  fall.  We  who  are  followers  of  Christ  need  con- 
stantly to  pray  to  be  made  humble,  and  kept  humble.  God 
made  Moses'  face  so  to  shine  that  other  men  could  see  it;  but 
Moses  himself  wist  not  that  his  face  shone,  and  the  more  holy 


124  THE  WAY  TO  OOD. 


in  heart  a  man  is  the  more  mauifest  to  the  outer  world  will  be 
his  daily  hfe  and  conversation.  Some  people  talk  of  how 
humble  they  are ;  but  if  they  have  true  humility  there  will  be 
no  necessity  for  them  to  publish  it.  It  is  not  needful.  A 
lighthouse  does  not  have  a  drum  beaten  or  a  trumpet  blown 
in  order  to  proclaim  the  proximity  of  a  lighthouse :  it  is  its 
own  witness.  And  so  if  we  have  the  true  light  in  us  it  will 
show  itself.  It  is  not  those  who  make  the  most  noise  who 
have  the  most  piety.  There  is  a  brook,  or  a  little  "burn  "  as 
the  Scotch  call  it,  not  far  from  Avhere  I  live ;  and  after  a  heavy 
rain  you  can  hear  the  rush  of  its  waters  a  long  way  off :  but 
let  there  come  a  few  days  of  pleasant  weather,  and  the  brook 
becomes  almost  silent.  But  there  is  a  river  near  my  house, 
the  flow  of  which  I  never  heard  in  my  life,  as  it  pours  on  in 
its  deep  and  majestic  course  the  year  round.  We  should  have 
BO  much  of  the  love  of  God  within  us  that  its  presence  shall  be 
evident  without  our  loud  proclamation  of  the  fact. 

The  first  step  in  Peter's  downfall  w^as  his  self-confidence. 
The  Lord  warned  him.  The  Lord  said:  "Simon,  Simon, 
behold,  Satan  hath  desired  to  have  you,  that  he  may 
sift  you  as  wheat:  but  I  have  prayed  for  thee,  that 
thy  faith  fail  not"  (Luke  xxii.  31,  32).  But  Peter  said: 
"I  am  ready  to  go  with  Thee,  both  into  prison  and  to 
death."  "  Though  all  shall  be  offended  because  of  Thee,  yet 
will  I  never  be  offended."  (Matt.  xxvi.  28.)  '*  James  and 
John,  and  the  others,  may  leave  You;  but  You  can  count  on 
me!"  But  the  Lord  warned  him:  "I  tell  thee,  Peter,  the 
cock  shall  not  crow  this  day,  before  that  thou  shalt  thrice  deny 
that  thou  knowest  Me."     (Luke  xxii.  24.) 

Though  the  Lord  rebuked  him,  Peter  said  he  was  ready  to 
follow  Him  to  death.  That  boasting  is  too  often  a  forerunner 
of  downfall.  Let  us  walk  humbly  and  softly.  We  have  a 
great  tempter;  and,  in  an  unguarded  hour,  we  may  stumble 
and  fall  and  bring  a  scandal  on  Christ. 


BACKSLIDING.  125 


The  next  step  in  Peter's  downfall  was  that  he  went  to 
sleep.  If  Satan  can  rock  the  Church  to  sleep  he  does  his 
work  through  God's  own  people.  Instead  of  Peter  watching 
one  short  hour  in  Gethsemane,  he  fell  asleep,  and  the  Lord 
asked  him,  "  What,  could  ye  not  watch  with  Me  one  hour?" 
(Matt.  xxvi.  40.)  The  next  thing  was  that  he  fought  in  the 
energy  of  the  flesh.  The  Lord  rebuked  him  again  and  said, 
♦•They  that  take  the  sword  shall  perish  wnth  the  sword." 
(Matt.  xxvi.  52.)  Jesus  had  to  undo  what  Peter  had  done. 
The  noxt  thing,  he  "followed  afar  off."  Step  by  step  he 
gets  away.  It  is  a  sad  thing  when  a  child  of  God  follows  afar 
off.  When  you  see  him  associating  wdth  worldly  friends,  and 
throwing  his  influence  on  the  wrong  side,  he  is  following  afar 
off;  and  it  will  not  be  long  before  disgrace  will  be  brought 
upon  the  old  family  name,  and  Jesus  Christ  will  be  wounded 
in  the  house  of  his  friends.  The  man,  by  his  example,  will 
cause  others  to  stumble  and  fall. 

The  next  thing — Peter  is  familiar  and  friendly  with  the 
enemies  of  Christ.  A  damsel  says  to  this  bold  Peter  :  "  Thou 
also  wast  with  this  Jesus  of  Galilee."  But  he  denied  before 
them  all,  saying,  *'  I  know  not  what  thou  sayest."  And  when 
he  was  gone  out  into  the  porch  another  maid  saw  him  and 
said  unto  them  that  were  there,  "  This  fellow  -was  also  with 
Jesus  of  Nazareth."  And  again  he  denied  with  an  oath.  "I 
do  not  know  the  Man."  Another  hour  passed;  and  yet  he  did 
not  realize  his  position ;  when  another  confidently  affirmed  that 
that  he  was  a  Galilean,  for  his  speech  betrayed  him.  And  he 
was  angry  and  began  to  curse  and  to  swear,  and  again  denied 
his  Master  :  and  the  cock  crew.     (Matt.  xxvi.  69-74.) 

He  commences  away  up  on  the  pinacle  of  self-conceit,  and 
goes  down  step  by  step  until  he  breaks  out  into  cursing,  rvi^d 
swears  that  he  never  knew  his  Lord, 


126  THE  WAY  TO  GOD. 


The  Master  might  have  turRed  and  said  to  him,  **  Is  it 
true,  Peter,  that  you  have  forgotten  Me  so  soon  ?  Do  you  not 
remember  when  your  wife's  mother  lay  sick  of  a  fever  that  I 
rebuked  the  disease  and  it  left  her?  Do  you  not  call  to  mind 
your  astonishment  at  the  draught  of  fishes  so  that  you  ex- 
claimed, 'Depart  from  me;  for  I  am  a  sinful  man,  0  Lord?' 
Do  you  remember  when  in  answer  to  your  cry,  '  Lord,  save 
me,  or  I  perish,'  I  stretched  out  My  hand  and  kept  you  from 
drov^^ning  in  the  water?  Have  you  forgotten  when,  on  the 
Mount  of  Transfiguration,  vv^ith  James  and  John,  you  said  to 
Me,  *  Lord,  it  is  good  to  be  here :  let  us  make  three  taberna- 
cles?' Have  you  forgotten  being  with  Me  at  the  supper-table, 
and  in  Gethsemane?  Is  it  true  that  you  have  forgotten  Me  so 
soon?  The  Lord  might  have  upbraided  him  with  questions 
such  as  these:  but  He  did  nothing  of  the  kind.  He  cast  one 
look  on  Peter :  and  there  was  so  much  love  in  it  that  it  broke 
that  bold  disciple's  heart :  and  he  went  out  and  wept  bitterly. 

And  after  Christ  rose  from  the  dead  see  how  tenderly  He 
dealt  with  the  erring  disciple.  The  angel  at  the  sepulchre 
says,  "Tell  His  disciples,  ayui  Peter.''  (Mark  xvi.  7.)  The 
Lord  did  not  forget  Peter,  though  Peter  had  denied  Him  thrice; 
so  He  caused  this  kindly  special  message  to  be  conveyed  to  the 
repentant  disciple.  "What  a  tender  and  loving  Saviour  we 
have! 

Friend,  if  you  are  one  of  the  wanderers,  let  the  loving 
look  of  the  Master  win  you  back;  and  let  Him  restore  you  to 
the  joy  of  His  salvation. 

Before  closing,  let  me  say  that  I  trust  God  will  restore 
some  backslider  reading  these  pages,  who  may  in  the  future 
become  a  useful  member  of  society  and  a  bright  ornament  of 
the  Church.  We  should  never  have  had  the  thirty-second 
Psalm  if  David  had  not  been  restored:  "Blessed  is  he  whose 
transgression   is  forgiven,   whose  sin  is   covered";  or  that 


BACKSLIDINO.  127 


beautiful  fifty-first  Psalm  which  was  written  by  the  restored 
backslider.  Nor  should  we  have  had  that  wonderful  sermon 
on  the  day  of  Pentecost  when  three  thousand  were  converted 
— preached  by  another  restored  backslider. 

May  God  restore  other  backsliders  and  make  them  a 
thousand  times  more  used  for  His  glory  than  they  ever  were 
before. 


n 


To  THE  ¥ORK ! 


Tothe¥ork!" 


EXHORTATIONS  TO  CHRISTIANS, 


BY 


D.  L.  MOODY. 


CHICAGO: 
F.  H.  RETELL,  148  &  150  MADISON  STEEET, 

(Puhlisher  of  Evangelical  Ziiterature, 


Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1884, 

By  F.  H.  KEVELL, 
In  the  oflace  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington, 


PREFACE. 


During  the  years  that  I  have  been  privileged  to 
labor  for  God,  in  this  country  and  in  England,  I  have 
strongly  and  increasingly  felt  that  the  task  of  arousing 
Christians  to  a  deeper  sense  of  their  responsibility  is 
even  a  more  important  one  than  that  of  the  simple 
evangelist.  As  I  have  frequently  had  occasion  to 
remark:  It  is  far  better  to  get  a  hundred  men  to  work 
than  to  do  the  work  oneself.  Only  when  the  rank  and 
file  of  the  Christian  Churches  are  enlisted  in  active  ser- 
vice for  Christ,  will  His  Kingdom  advance  as  it  ought. 

This  volume  contains  various  addresses  which  it  has 
been  my  privilege  to  deliver  to  Christian  workers 
during  the  last  year.  The  blessing  of  God,  I  believe, 
rested  on  the  spoken  word;  it  is  my  earnest  hope  and 
prayer  that  a  still  greater  blessing  may  be  given  wher- 
ever these  exhortations  are  read  and  pondered.  The 
addresses,  it  will  be  seen,  are  arranged  so  as  to  preserve 
consecutive  thought. 

Yours  in  the  service  of  Christ, 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 
"TAKE  YE  AWAY  THE  STONE"    -----         7 

CHAPTER  II. 

LOVE,  THE  MOTIVE  POWER  FOR  SERVICE    -       -       23 

CHAPTER  III. 

FAITH  AND  COURAGE -       41 

CHAPTER  IV. 
FAITH  REWARDED 58 

CHAPTER  V. 
ENTHUSIASM .67 

CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  POWER  OF  LITTLE  THINGS       .        .       -       -       81 

CHAPTER  VII. 

<'SHE  HATH  DONE  WHAT  SHE  COULD"  -        -      101 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
"WHO  IS  MY  NEIGHBOR?" 116 

CHAPTER  IX. 
«YE  ARE  THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLD"  -       -      133 

5 


)  t  •  I 


"TO  THE  WORK!  TO  THE  WORK!" 


CHAPTEE  I. 

TAKE  YE  AWAY  THE  STONE. 


In  the  gospel  by  John  we  read  that  at  the  tomb  of 
Lazarus  onr  Lord  said  to  His  disciples,  "  Take  ye  away 
the  stone."  Before  the  act  of  raising  Lazarus  could 
be  performed,  the  disciples  had  their  part  to  do.  Christ 
could  have  removed  the  stone  with  a  word.  It  would 
have  been  very  easy  for  Him  to  have  commanded  it  to 
roll  away,  and  it  would  have  obeyed  His  voice,  as  the 
dead  Lazarus  did  when  He  called  him  back  to  life. 
But  the  Lord  would  have  His  children  learn  this  les- 
son: that  they  have  something  to  do  towards  raising 
the  spiritually  dead.  The  disciples  had  not  only  to 
take  away  the  stone,  but  after  Christ  had  raised  Laza- 
rus they  had  to  "  loose  and  let  him  go." 

It  is  a  question  if  any  man  on  the  face  of  the  earth 
has  ever  been  converted,  without  God  using  some 
human  instrument,  in  some  way.  God  could  easily 
convert  men  without  us  ;  but  that  is  not  His  way. 

The  stone  I  want  to  speak  about  to-day,  that  must 
be  rolled  away  before  any  great  work  of  God  can  be 

7 


8  "  TO  THE  work:' 

brought  about,  is  the  miserable  stone  of  prejudice. 
Many  people  have  a  great  prejudice  against  revi- 
vals ;  they  hate  the  very  word.  I  am  sorry  to  say  that 
this  feeling  is  not  confined  to  ungodly  or  careless  peo- 
ple; there  are  not  a  few  Christians  who  seem  to  cher- 
ish a  strong  dislike  both  to  the  word  "  Eevival "  and  to 
the  thing  itself. 

What  does  '"Eevival"'  mean?  It  simply  means  a 
recalling  from  obscurity — a  finding  some  hidden  treas- 
ure and  bringing  it  back  to  the  light.  I  think  every  one 
of  us  must  acknowledofe  that  we  are  livinof  in  a  time  of 
need.  I  doubt  if  there  is  a  family  in  the  world 
that  has  not  some  relative  whom  they  would  like  to 
see  brought  into  the  fold  of  God,  and  who  needs 
salvation. 

Men  are  anxious  for  a  revival  in  business.  I  am 
told  that  there  is  a  widespread  and  general  stagnation 
in  business.  People  are  very  anxious  that  there  should 
be  a  revival  of  trade  this  winter.  There  a  great  re^d- 
val  in  politics  just  now.  In  all  departments  of  life 
you  find  that  men  are  very  anxious  for  a  revival  in  the 
things  that  concern  them  most. 

If  this  is  legitimate — and  I  do  not  say  but  it  is  per- 
fectly right  in  its  place — should  not  every  child  of  God 
be  praying  for  and  desiring  a  revival  of  godliness  in 
the  world  at  the  present  time.  Do  we  not  need  a  revi- 
val of  downright  honesty,  of  truthfulness,  of  upright- 
ness, and  of  temperance  ?  Are  there  not  many  who 
have  become  alienated  from  the  Church  of  God  and 
from  the  house  of  the  Lord,  who  are  forming  an  at- 
tachment to  the  saloon  ?  Are  not  our  sons  being  drawn 
away  by  hundi'eds  and  thousands,  so  that  while  you 


"  TAKE  YE  AWAY  THE  STONE:^  9 

often  find  the  churches  empty,  the  liquor  shops  are 
crowded  every  Sabbath  afternoon  and  evening.  I  am 
sure  the  saloon-keepers  are  glad  if  they  can  have  a 
revival  in  their  business  ;  they  do  not  object  to  sell 
more  whisky  and  beer.  Then  surely  every  true  Chris- 
tian ought  to  desire  that  men  who  are  in  danger  of 
perishing  eternally  should  be  saved  and  rescued. 

Some  people  seem  to  think  that  "Revivals"  are  a 
modern  invention — that  they  have  only  been  known 
within  the  last  few  years.  But  they  are  nothing  new. 
If  there  is  not  Scriptural  authority  for  revivals,  then  I 
cannot  understand  my  Bible. 

For  the  first  2,000  years  of  the  world's  history  they 
had  no  revival  that  we  know  of;  probably,  if  they  had, 
there  would  have  been  no  Flood.  The  first  real  awak- 
ening, of  which  we  read  in  the  Old  Testament,  was 
when  Moses  was  sent  down  to  Egypt  to  bring  his  breth- 
ren out  of  the  house  of  bondage.  When  Moses  went 
doAvn  to  Goshen,  there  must  have  been  a  great  com- 
motion there;  many  things  were  done  out  of  the  usual 
order.  When  three  millions  of  Hebrews  were  put  be- 
hind the  Blood  of  the  Slain  Lamb,  that  was  nothing 
but  God  reviving  His  work  among  them. 

Under  Joshua  there  was  a  great  revival ;  and  again 
under  the  Judges.  God  was  constantly  reviving  the 
Jewish  nation  in  those  olden  times.  Samuel  brought 
the  people  to  Mizpah,  and  told  them  to  put  away  their 
strange  gods.  Then  the  Israelites  went  out  and  de- 
feated the  Philistines,  so  that  they  never  came  back  in 
his  day.  Dr.  Bonar  says  it  may  be  that  David  and 
Jonathan  were  converted  under  that  revival  in  the  time 
of  SamueL 


10  ''TO  THE  WORK!'' 

What  was  it  but  a  great  revival  in  tlie  days  of 
Elijah  ?  The  people  had  turned  away  to  idolatry,  and 
the  prophet  summoned  them  to  Mount  Carmel.  As 
the  multitude  stood  there  on  the  mountain,  God  an- 
swered by  fire  ;  the  people  fell  on  their  faces  and  cried, 
"  The  Lord,  He  is  the  God."  That  was  the  nation 
turning  back  to  God.  No  doubt  there  were  men  talk- 
ing against  the  work,  and  saying  it  would  not  last. 
That  is  the  cry  of  many  to-day,  and  has  been  the  cry 
for  4,000  years.  Some  old  Carmelite  very  probably 
said  in  the  days  of  Elijah  :  "  This  will  not  be  perma- 
nent." So  there  are  not  a  few  in  these  days  shaking 
their  wise  heads  and  saying  the  work  will  not  last. 

When  we  come  to  New  Testament  times,  we  have 
the  wonderful  revival  under  John  the  Baptist.  Was 
there  ever  a  man  who  accomplished  so  much  in  a  few 
months,  except  the  Master  Himself  ?  The  preaching 
of  John  was  like  the  breath  of  spring  after  a  long  and 
dreary  winter.  For  400  long  years  there  had  been  no 
prophet,  and  darkness  had  settled  down  on  the  nation. 
John's  advent  was  like  the  flashing  of  a  brilliant  meteor 
that  heralded  the  coming  day.  It  was  not  in  the  tem- 
ple or  in  any  synagogue  that  he  preached,  but  on  the 
banks  of  the  Jordan.  Men,  women,  and  children 
flocked  to  hear  him.  Almost  any  one  can  get  an  audi- 
ence in  a  crowded  city,  but  this  was  away  out  in  the 
desert.  No  doubt  there  was  great  excitement.  I  sup- 
pose the  towns  and  villages  were  nearly  depopulated, 
as  they  flocked  out  to  hear  the  preaching  of  John. 

People  are  so  afraid  of  excitement.  When  I  went 
over  to  England  in  1867,  I  was  asked  to  go  and  preach 
at   the  Derby   race-course.     I   saw   more    excitement 


^'TAKE  YE  AWAY  THE   STONe:^  H 

there  in  one  day  than  I  have  seen  at  all  the  religious 
meetings  I  ever  attended  in  my  life  put  together.  And 
yet  I  heard  no  one  complaining  of  too  much  excite- 
ment. I  heard  of  a  minister,  not  long  ago,  who  was 
present  at  a  public  dance  till  after  five  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  The  next  Sabbath  he  preached  against  the 
excitement  of  revivals — the  late  hours,  and  so  on. 
Yery  consistent  kind  of  reasoning,  was  it  not  ? 

Then  look  at  Pentecost.  The  apostles  preached,  and 
you  know  what  the  result  was.  I  suppose  the  worldly 
men  of  that  day  said  it  would  all  die  away.  Although 
they  brought  about  the  martyrdom  of  Stephen  and  of 
James,  other  men  rose  up  to  take  possession  of  the 
field.  From  the  very  place  where  Stephen  was 
slain,  Saul  took  up  the  work,  and  it  has  been  going  on 
ever  since. 

There  are  many  professed  Christians  who  are  all  the 
time  finding  fault  and  criticising.  They  criticise  the 
preaching,  or  the  singing.  The  prayers  will  be  either 
too  long  or  too  short,  too  loud,  or  not  loud  enough. 
They  will  find  fault  with  the  reading  of  the  Word  of 
God,  or  -^dll  say  it  was  not  the  right  portion.  They 
will  criticise  the  preacher.  "  I  do  not  like  his  style," 
they  say.  If  you  doubt  what  I  say,  listen  to  the  peo- 
ple as  they  go  out  of  a  revival  meeting,  or  any  other 
religious  gathering. 

"  What  did  you  think  of  the  preacher  ?  "  says  one. 
"  Well,  I  must  confess  I  was  disappointed.  I  did  not 
like  his  manner.  He  was  not  graceful  in  his  actions." 
Another  will  say  :  "  He  was  not  logical ;  I  like  logic." 
Or  another  :  "  He  did  not  preach  enough  about 
repentance."      If  a  preacher  does  not  go  over  every 


12  "  TO  THE  WORK  ! '' 


doctrine  in  every  sermon  people  begin  to  find  fault. 
Tliey  say  :  "  There  was  too  mueli  repentance,  and  no 
Gospel  ;  or,  it  was  all  Gospel,  and  no  repentance." 
"He  spoke  a  great  deal  about  justification,  but  he  said 
nothing  about  sanctification."  So  i£  a  man  does  not 
go  right  through  the  Bible,  from  Genesis  to  Revela- 
tion, in  one  sermon,  they  at  once  proceed  to  citicise 
and  find  fault. 

"  The  fact  is,"  says  some  one  of  this  class,  "the  man 
did  not  touch  my  heart  at  all."  Some  one  else  will  say, 
"He  was  all  heart  and  no  head.  Hike  a  man  to  preach 
to  my  intellect."  Or,  "  He  appeals  too  much  to  the 
will  ;  he  does  not  give  enough  prominence  to  the  doc- 
trine of  election."  Or,  again,  "  There  is  no  backbone  in 
his  preaching  ;  he  does  not  lay  sufficient  stress  on  doc- 
trine." Or,  "He  is  not  eloquent;"  and  soon,  and  so  on. 

You  may  find  hundreds  of  such  fault-finders  among 
professed  Christians  ;  but  all  their  criticism  will  not  lead 
one  solitary  soul  to  Christ.  I  never  preached  a  sermon 
yet  that  I  could  not  pick  to  pieces  and  find  fault  with. 
I  feel  that  Jesus  Christ  ought  to  have  a  far  better  rep- 
resentative than  I  am.  But  I  have  lived  long  enough 
to  discover  that  there  is  nothing  perfect  in  this  world. 
If  you  are  to  wait  until  you  can  find  a  perfect  preacher, 
or  perfect  meetings,  I  am  afraid  you  will  have  to  wait 
till  the  millenium  arrives.  What  we  want  is  to  be 
looking  right  up  to  Him.  Let  us  get  done  with  fault- 
finding. When  I  hear  people  talk  in  the  way  I  have 
described,  I  say  to  them,  "  Come  and  do  better  your- 
self. Step  up  here  and  try  what  you  can  do."  My 
friends,  it  is  so  easy  to  find  fault  ;  it  takes  neither 
brains  nor  heart. 


«  TAKE  YE  AWAY  THE  STONED  13 

Some  years  ago,  a  pastor  of  a  little  Clmrch  in  a 
small  town  became  exceedingly  cliscoi]»^?iged,  and 
brooded  over  his  trials  to  such  an  extent  that  he  became 
an  inveterate  grumbler.  He  found  fault  with  his 
brethren  because  he  imagined  they  did  not  treat  him 
well.  A  brother  minister  was  invited  to  assist  him  a 
few  days  in  a  special  service.  At  the  close  of  the  Sab- 
bath morning  service  our  unhappy  brother  invited  the 
minister  to  his  house  to  dinner.  While  they  were 
waiting  alone  in  the  parlor,  he  began  his  doleful 
story  by  saying  :  "  My  brother,  you  have  no  idea  of 
my  troubles  ;  and  one  of  the  greatest  is,  my  brethren 
in  the  Church  treat  me  very  badly."  The  other  pro- 
pounded the  following  questions  : 
"  Did  they  ever  spit  in  your  face?" 
"  No  ;  they  haven't  come  to  that." 
"  Did  they  ever  smite  you?  "  "  No." 
"Did  they  ever  crown  you  with  thorns?  " 
This  last  question  he  could  not  answer,  but  bowed 
his  head  thoughtfully.  His  brother  replied  :  "Your 
Master  and  mine  was  thus  treated,  and  all  His  disciples 
fled  and  left  Him  in  the  hands  of  the  wicked.  Yet  He 
opened  not  His  mouth."  The  effect  of  this  conversa- 
tion was  wonderful.  Both  ministers  bowed  in  prayer 
and  earnestly  sought  to  possess  the  mind  which  was  in 
Christ  Jesus.  During  the  ten  days'  meetings  the  dis- 
contented pastor  became  iconderfidly  changed.  He 
labored  and  prayed  with  his  friend,  and  many  souls 
were  brought  to  Christ.  Some  weeks  after,  a  deacon 
of  the  church  wrote  and  said:  "Your  late  visit  and 
conversation  with  our  pastor  have  had  a  wonderful 
influence    for   good.      We  never  hear  him  complain 


14  "  TO  THE  WORK  !  " 

now,  and  he  labors  more  prayerfully  and  zealously" 
Another  charge  brought  against  revivals  is  that  they 
are  out  of  the  regular  order  of  things.  Well,  there  is 
no  doubt  about  that.  But  that  does  not  prove  that 
they  are  wrong.  Eldad  and  Medad  were  out  of  the 
regular  succession.  Joshua  wanted  Moses  to  rebuke 
them.  Instead  of  that  he  said  :  "  Would  God  that 
all  the  Lord's  people  were  prophets."  Elijah  and 
Elisha  did  not  belong  to  the  regular  school  of  prophets, 
yet  they  exercised  a  mighty  influence  for  good  in  their 
day.  John  the  Baptist  was  not  in  the  regular  line. 
He  got  his  theological  training  out  in  the  desert. 
Jesus  Christ  Himself  was  out  of  the  recognized  order. 
When  Philip  told  Nathaniel  that  he  had  found  the 
Messiah,  he  said  to  him  :  "  Can  there  any  good  thing 
come  out  of  Nazareth?" 

As  we  read  the  history  of  the  past  few  centuries  we 
find  that  God  has  frequently  taken  up  those  who  were, 
so  to  speak,  out  of  the  regular  line.  Martin  Luther 
had  to  break  through  the  regular  order  of  things  in 
his  day  before  he  brought  about  the  mighty  Reforma- 
tion. There  are  now  some  sixty  millions  of  people 
who  adhere  to  the  Lutheran  Church.  Wesley  and 
Whitefield  were  not  exactly  in  the  regular  line,  but 
see  what  a  mighty  work  they  accomplished  ! 

My  friends,  when  God  works  many  things  will  be 
done  "  out  of  the  regular  order."  It  seems  to  me  that 
will  be  a  good  thing.  There  are  a  few  who  cannot  be 
reached,  apparently,  through  the  regular  channels,  who 
will  come  to  meetings  like  these  out  of  the  usual  rou- 
tine. We  have  got  our  churches,  it  is  true,  but  we 
want  to  make  an  effort  to  reach  the  outlying  masses 


«  TAKE  YE  AWAY  THE  STONED  15 

who  will  not  go  to  them.  Many  will  come  in  to  these 
meetings  simply  because  they  are  to  be  held  only  for  a 
few  days.  And  so,  if  they  are  to  come  at  all,  they 
must  come  to  a  decision  about  it  quickly.  Others  come 
out  of  idle  curiosity,  or  a  desire  to  know  what  is  going 
on.  And  often  at  the  first  meeting  something  that  is 
spoken  or  that  is  sung  will  touch  them.  They  have 
come  under  the  sound  of  the  Gospel  ;  probably  they 
will  become  real  Christians  and  useful  members  of 
society.  You  will  sometimes  hear  people  say,  "  We 
have  our  churches  ;  if  men  will  not  come  to  them,  let 
them  keep  out."  That  was  not  the  spirit  of  the  Master. 
When  our  Civil  War  broke  out  we  had  a  very  small 
standing  army.  Government  asked  for  volunteers  to 
enlist.  Several  hundreds  of  thousands  of  men  came  for- 
ward and  joined  the  ranks  of  the  regular  army.  There 
was  plenty  for  every  man  to  do.  These  volunteers  were 
not  so  well  trained  and  drilled  as  the  older  solders,  but 
we  could  use  the  irregulars  as  well  as  the  regulars.  Many 
of  the  former  soon  became  efficient  soldiers,  and  these 
volunteers  did  great  service  in  the  cause  of  the  nation. 
If  the  outlying  masses  of  the  people  are  to  be  reached 
we  must  have  the  regulars  and  the  irregulars  both. 

I  remember  hearing  of  a  Sunday-school  in  our  coun- 
try where  the  teacher  had  got  into  ruts.  A  young  man 
was  placed  in  charge  as  Superintendent,  and  he  wanted 
to  re-arrange  the  seats.  Some  of  the  older  members 
said  the  seats  had  been  in  their  present  position  for  so 
many  years,  that  they  could  not  be  moved  !  There  is  a 
good  deal  of  that  kind  of  spirit  nowadays.  It  seems 
to  me  that  if  one  method  is  not  successful  we  ought  to 
give  it  up  and  try  some  other  plan  that  may  be  more 


16  "  TO  THE  WORK  I 


likely  to  succeed.  If  the  people  will  not  come  to  the 
regular  "means  of  grace,"  let  us  adopt  some  means 
that  will  reach  them  and  win  them. 

Do  not  let  us  be  finding  fault  because  things  are  not 
done  exactly  as  they  have  been  done  in  the  past,  and  as 
we  think  they  ought  to  be  done.  I  am  sick  and  tired 
of  those  who  are  constantly  complaining.  Let  us  pay 
no  heed  to  them,  but  let  us  go  forward  with  the  work 
that  God  has  given  us  to  do. 

Another  very  serious  charge  is  brought  against  revi- 
vals. They  say  the  work  will  not  last.  As  I  have  said 
there  were  doubtless  many  at  the  day  of  Pentecost  who 
said  that.  And  when  Stephen  was  stoned  to  death, 
James  beheaded,  and  finally  all  the  apostles  put  to 
death,  no  doubt  they  said  that  Pentecost  was  a  stupen- 
dous failure.  But  was  it  a  failure  ?  Are  not  the  fruits  of 
that  revival  at  Pentecost  to  be  seen  even  in  our  time  ? 

In  the  sight  of  the  world  the  mission  of  John  the 
Baptist  may  have  been  thought  to  be  a  failure  when  he 
was  beheaded  by  the  command  of  Herod.  But  it  was 
not  a  failure  in  the  sight  of  heaven.  The  influence  of 
this  wilderness  prophet  is  felt  in  the  Church  of  God 
to-day.  The  world  thought  Christ's  life  was  a  failure 
as  He  hung  on  the  Cross  and  expired.  But  in  the 
sight  of  God  it  was  altogether  different.  God  made 
the  wrath  of  men  to  praise  Him. 

I  have  little  sympathy  with  those  pastors  who,  when 
God  is  reviving  the  Churches,  begin  to  preach  against 
revivals.  There  is  not  a  denomination  in  Christendom 
to-day  that  has  not  sprung  out  of  a  revival.  The  Boman 
Catholics  and  the  Episcopalians  both  claim  to  be  apos- 
tolic in  their  origin  ;  if  they  are,   they  sprang  out  of 


"  TAKE  YE  AWAY  THE  STONE."  17 

the  revival  at  Pentecost.  The  Metliodist  body  rose  out 
of  revivals  under  John  Wesley  and  George  Whitefield. 
Did  not  the  Lutheran  Church  come  from  the  great 
awakening  that  swept  through  Germany  in  the  days  of 
Luther?  Was  not  Scotland  stirred  up  through  the 
preaching  of  John  Knox?  Where  did  the  Quakers 
come  from  if  not  from  the  work  of  God  under  George 
Fox?  Yet  people  are  so  afraid  if  the  regular  rou- 
tine of  things  is  going  to  be  disturbed.  Let  us  pray 
that  God  may  raise  up  many  who  will  be  used  by  Him 
for  the  reviving  of  His  Church  in  our  day.  I  think 
the  time  has  come  when  we  need  it. 

I  remember  we  went  into  one  place  where  one  of  the 
ministers  found  that  his  Church  was  opposed  to  his  taking 
part  in  the  meetings.  He  was  told  that  if  he  identified 
himself  with  the  movement  he  would  alienate  some  of 
his  congregation.  He  took  the  Church  record  and  found 
that  four-fifths  of  the  members  of  the  Church  had  been 
converted  in  times  of  revival,  among  others  the  Super- 
intendent of  the  Sabbath-school,  all  the  officers  of  the 
Church,  and  nearly  every  active  member.  The  minister 
went  into  the  Church  the  following  Sabbath  and  preached 
a  sermon  on  revivals,  reminding  them  of  what  had  taken 
place  in  the  history  of  the  congregation.  You  will  find 
that  many  who  talk  against  revivals  have  themselves 
been  converted  in  such  a  time. 

Not  long  ago  a  very  able  minister  preached  a  sermon 
against  these  awakenings ;  he  did  not  believe  in  them. 
Some  of  his  people  searched  the  Church  records  to  see 
how  many  during  the  previous  twelve  years  had  been 
added  to  the  membership  on  profession  of  their  faith ; 
they  found  that  not  a  single  soul  had  joined  the  Church 
2 


18  "  TO  THE  WORK  !  " 

all  these  years  on  profession  of  faitli.  No  wonder  the 
minister  of  a  Church  like  that  preached  against  revivals ! 

My  experience  has  been  that  those  who  are  converted 
in  a  time  of  special  religious  interest  make  even  strong- 
er Christians  than  those  who  were  brought  into  the 
Church  at  ordinary  times.  One  young  convert  helps 
another,  and  they  get  a  better  start  in  the  Christian 
life  when  there  are  a  good  many  together. 

People  say  the  converts  will  not  hold  out.  Well, 
they  did  not  all  hold  out  under  the  preaching  of  Jesus 
Christ.  "  Many  of  His  disciples  went  back  and  walked 
no  more  with  Him."  Paul  mourned  over  the  fact  that 
some  of  those  who  made  profession  were  walking  as 
the  enemies  of  the  Cross  of  Christ.  The  Master  taught 
in  His  wonderful  parable  that  there  are  various  kinds 
of  hearers — those  represented  by  the  wayside  hearers, 
the  stony  ground  hearers,  the  thorny  ground  hearers, 
and  the  good  ground  hearers ;  they  will  remain  to  the 
end  of  time.  I  have  a  fruit  tree  at  my  home,  and 
every  year  it  has  so  many  blossoms  that  if  they  should 
all  produce  apples  the  tree  would  break  down.  Nine- 
tenths,  perhaps,  of  the  blossoms  will  fall  off,  and  yet  I 
have  a  large  number  of  apples. 

So  there  are  many  who  make  a  profession  of  Chris- 
tianity who  fall  away.  It  may  be  that  those  who 
seemed  to  promise  the  fairest  turn  out  the  worst,  and 
those  who  did  not  promise  so  well  turn  out  best  in  the 
end.  God  must  prepare  the  ground  and  He  must  give 
the  increase.  I  have  often  said  that  if  I  had  to  convict 
men  of  sin  I  would  have  given  up  the  work  long  ago. 
That  is  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  What  we  have 
to  do  is  to  scatter  the  good  seed  of   the  Word,   and 


"  TAKE  YE  AWAY  THE  STONED  19 


expect  that  God  will  bless  it  to  the  saving  of  men's  souls. 

Of  course  we  cannot  expect  much  help  from  those 
who  are  all  the  time  talking  against  revivals.  I  be- 
lieve many  young  disciples  are  chilled  through  by 
those  who  condemn  these  special  efforts.  If  the  pro- 
fessed converts  sometimes  do  not  hold  out,  it  is  not 
always  their  own  fault. 

I  was  preaching  in  a  certain  city  some  time  ago,  and 
a  minister  said  to  me:  "I  hope  this  work  will  not  turn 
out  like  the  revival  here  five  years  ago.  I  took  one 
hundred  converts  into  the  Church,  and,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  one  or  two,  I  do  not  know  where  they  are  to- 
day." This  was  discouraging.  I  mentioned  it  to 
another  minister  in  the  same  city,  and  I  said  I  would 
rather  give  up  the  work,  and  go  back  to  business,  if  the 
work  was  not  going  to  last.  He  said  to  me:  "I  took 
in  one  hundi'ed  converts  at  the  same  time,  and  I  can 
lay  my  hand  on  ninety-eight  out  of  the  hundred.  For 
five  years  I  have  watched  them,  and  only  two  have 
fallen  away."  Then  he  asked  me  if  his  brother  min- 
ister had  told  me  what  took  place  in  his  Church  after 
they  brought  in  those  young  converts.  Some  of  them 
thought  they  ought  to  have  a  better  Church,  and  they 
got  divided  among  themselves;  so  nearly  all  the  mem- 
bers left  the  Church.  If  anyone  will  but  engage 
heartily  in  this  work  they  will  have  enough  to  encour- 
age them. 

It  is  very  easy  for  men  to  talk  against  a  work  like 
this.  But  we  generally  find  that  such  people  not  only 
do  nothing  at  all  themselves,  but  they  know  nothing 
about  that  which  they  are  criticising.  Surely  it  is 
hardly  fair  to  condemn  a  work  that  we  have  not  been 


20  ''TO  THE  WORK  !'' 

at  the  trouble  to  become  personally  acquainted  with. 
If,  instead  of  sitting  on  the  platform  and  simply  look- 
ing on  or  criticising,  such  persons  would  get  dow^n 
among  the  people  and  talk  to  them  about  their  souls, 
they  would  soon  find  out  whether  the  work  was  real  or 
not. 

I  remember  hearing  of  a  man  who  returned  from  a 
residence  in  India.  He  was  out  at  dinner  one  day  with 
some  friends,  and  he  was  asked  about  Missions ;  he  said 
he  had  never  seen  a  native  convert  all  the  time  he  was 
in  India.  A  missionary  who  was  present  did  not  reply 
directly  to  the  statement,  but  he  quietly  asked  the 
sceptical  Englishman  if  he  had  seen  any  tigers  in  In- 
dia. The  man  rubbed  his  hands,  as  if  the  recollection 
gave  him  a  good  deal  of  pleasure,  and  said:  "Tigers! 
Yes,  I  should  think  so.  I  have  shot  a  good  many  of 
them."  Said  the  missionary,  "Well,  I  was  in  India 
for  a  number  of  years  and  never  saAv  a  tiger."  The 
fact  was  that  the  one  had  been  looking  for  converts  and 
the  other  for  tigers,  and  they  both  found  what  they 
looked  for. 

If  we  look  for  converts  we  shall  find  them;  there  is 
no  doubt  about  that.  But  the  truth  is  that  in  almost 
every  case  those  who  talk  against  revivals  know  nothing 
whatever  about  it  from  personal  contact  and  experience. 
Do  you  suppose  that  the  young  converts  are  going 
round  to  your  house  and  knock  at  the  door  to  tell  you 
they  have  been  converted?  If  you  wish  to  find  out 
the  truth  you  must  go  among  them  in  their  homes  and 
talk  to  them. 

I  hope  no  one  will  be  afraid  of  the  Inquiry  Room. 
At  one  of  the  places  where  I  worked  once  I  found  a 


"  TAKE  YE  AWAY  THE  STONE."  21 

good  many  people  wlio  liated  the  very  word  "  Inquiry 
Room."  But  I  contend  that  it  is  a  perfectly  reason- 
able thing.  When  a  boy  is  at  school  and  cannot  solve 
some  problem  in  algebra,  he  asks  help  of  some  one 
who  knows  it.  Here  is  the  great  problem  of  eternal 
life  that  has  to  be  solved  by  each  of  us.  Why  should 
we  not  ask  those  who  are  more  experienced  than  our- 
selves to  help  us  if  they  can.  If  we  have  any  diffi- 
culty we  cannot  overcome,  probably  we  shall  find  some 
Godly  man  or  woman  who  had  the  same  difficulty  twen- 
ty years  ago ;  they  will  be  glad  to  help  us,  and  tell  us 
how  they  were  enabled  to  surmount  it.  Do  not  be 
afraid  therefore  to  let  them  help  you. 

I  believe  there  is  not  a  living  soul  who  has  a  spirit- 
ual difficulty  but  there  is  some  promise  in  the  Word  of 
God  to  meet  that  difficulty.  But  if  you  keep  your  feel- 
ings and  your  troubles  all  locked  up,  how  are  you  to 
be  helped  ?  I  might  stand  here  and  preach  to  you  right 
on  for  thirty  days  and  not  touch  your  particular  diffi- 
culty. But  twenty  minutes'  private  conversation  may 
clear  away  all  your  doubts  and  troubles. 

There  was  a  lady  who  worked  in  the  Inquiry  Room 
when  we  were  in  the  south  of  London  nine  years  ago. 
I  saw  her  again  a  short  time  ago,  and  she  told  me  that 
she  had  a  list  of  thirty-five  cases  of  those  with  whom 
she  conversed,  and  who  she  thought  were  truly  con- 
verted. She  has  written  letters  to  them  and  sent  them 
little  gifts  at  Christmas,  and  she  said  to  me  that  so  far 
as  she  could  judge  not  a  single  one  of  the  thirty-five 
had  wandered  away.  She  has  placed  her  life  alongside 
of  theirs  all  these  years,  and  she  has  been  able  to  be  a 
blessing  to  them. 


22  "  TO  THE  WORK  /'* 

If  we  had  a  thousand  such  persons,  by  the  help  of 
God  we  should  see  signs  and  wonders.  There  is  no 
class  of  people,  however  hopeless  or  degraded,  but  can 
be  reached,  only  we  must  lay  ourselves  out  to  reach 
them.  Many  Christians  are  asleep ;  we  •want  to  arouse 
them,  so  that  they  shall  take  a  personal  interest  in  those 
who  are  living  in  carelessness  and  sin.  Let  us  lay 
aside  all  our  prejudices.  If  God  is  working  it  matters 
little  whether  or  not  the  work  is  done  in  the  exact  way 
that  we  would  like  to  see  it  done,  or  in  the  way  we  have 
seen  it  done  in  the  past. 

Let  there  be  one  united  cry  going  up  to  God,  that 
He  will  revive  His  work  in  our  midst.  Let  the  work 
of  revival  begin  with  us  who  are  Christians.  Let  us 
remove  all  the  hindrances  that  come  from  ourselves. 
Then,  by  the  help  of  the  Spirit,  we  shall  be  able  to 
reach  these  non-church  goers,  and  multitudes  will  be 
brought  into  the  kingdom  of  God. 


LOVE,  THE  MOTIVE  POWER  FOR  SERVICE.       28 


CHAPTEE  II. 

LOVE,  THE  MOTIVE  POWER  FOR  SERVICE. 


Let  me  call  your  attention  to  Paul's  first  letter  to  the 
Corinthians,  thirteenth  chapter:  In  reading  this  passage 
let  us  use  the  word  "love"  instead  of  "charity": — 
"  Though  I  speak  with  the  tongues  of  men  and  of  angels, 
and  have  not  love,  I  am  become  as  sounding  brass,  or  a 
tinkling  cymbal.  And  though  I  have  the  gift  of 
prophecy,  and  understand  all  mysteries,  and  all  knowl- 
edge: and  though  I  have  all  faith,  so  that  I  could 
remove  mountains,  and  have  not  love,  I  am  nothing. 
And  though  I  bestow  all  my  goods  to  feed  the  poor, 
and  though  I  give  my  body  to  be  burned,  and  have  not 
love,  it  profiteth  me  nothing." 

It  is  a  great  thing  to  be  a  prophet  like  Daniel,  or 
Isaiah,  or  Elijah,  or  Elisha;  but  it  is  a  greater  thing, 
we  are  told  here,  to  be  full  of  love  than  to  be  filled 
with  the  spirit  of  prophecy.  Mary  of  Bethany,  who 
was  so  full  of  love,  held  a  higher  position  than  these 
great  prophets  did. 

"Love  suffereth  long,  and  is  kind;  love  envieth  not; 
love  vaunteth  not  itself,  is  not  puffed  up  ;  Doth  not 
behave  itself  unseemly,  seeketh  not  her  own,  is  not 
easily  provoked,  thinketh  no  evil;  rejoiceth  not  in  ini- 
quity, but  rejoiceth  in  the  truth;  beareth  all  things, 


24  "TO  THE  WORK!'' 

believeth  all  things,  liopeth  all  things,  endureth  all 
things.  Love  never  faileth;  but  whether  there  be 
prophecies,  they  shall  fail;  whether  there  be  tongues, 
they  shall  cease;  whether  there  be  knowledge,  it  shall 
vanish  away.  And  now  abideth  faith,  hope,  love,  these 
three;  but  the  greatest  of  these  is  love." 

The  enemy  had  got  into  that  little  Church  at  Corinth 
established  by  Paul,  and  there  was  strife  among  the 
disciples.  One  said,  "I  am  of  Apollos;"  another,  "I 
am  of  Cephas;"  and  another,  "I  am  of  Paul."  Paul 
saw  that  this  sectarian  strife  and  want  of  love  among 
God's  dear  people  would  be  disastrous  to  the  Church  of 
God,  and  so  he  wrote  this  letter.  I  have  often  said 
that  if  every  true  believer  could  mov-e  into  this  chapter 
and  live  in  the  spirit  of  it  for  twelve  months,  the 
Church  of  God  would  double  its  numbers  within  that 
time.  One  of  the  great  obstacles  in  the  way  of  God'p 
work  to-day  is  this  want  of  love'  among  those  who  are 
the  disciples  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

If  we  love  a  person  we  will  not  be  pointing  out  his 
failings  all  the  time.  It  is  said:  "Many  rules  of  elo- 
quence have  been  set  forth,  but,  strange,  to  say,  the 
first  and  most  essential  of  all  has  been  overlooked, 
namely,  love.  To  address  men  well  they  must  be  loved 
much.  Whatever  they  may  be,  be  they  ever  so  guilty, 
or  indifferent,  or  ungrateful,  or  however  deeply  sunk  in 
crime,  before  all,  and  above  all,  they  must  be  loved. 
Love  is  the  sap  of  the  Gospel,  the  secret  of  lively  and 
effectual  preaching,  the  magic  power  of  eloquence. 
The  end  of  preaching  is  to  reclaim  the  hearts  of  men 
to  God,  and  nothing  but  love  can  find  out  the  mysteri- 
ous avenues  which  lead  to  the  heart.     If  then  you  do  not 


LOVE,  THE  MOTIVE  POWER  FOR  SERVICE.       25 

feel  a  fervent  love  and  profound  pity  for  humanity,  be 
assured  that  the  gift  of  Christian  eloquence  has  been 
denied  you.  You  will  not  win  souls,  neither  will  you 
acquire  that  most  excellent  of  earthly  sovereignties — 
sovereignty  over  human  hearts.  An  Arab  proverb 
runs  thus — '  The  neck  is  bent  by  the  sword,  but  heart 
is  only  bent  by  heart.'     Love  is  irresistible." 

Look  at  these  words:  "Love  suffer eth  long,  and  is 
kind;  love  envieth  not."  How  often  it  happens  that  if 
one  outshines  another  there  is  apt  to  be  envy  in  our 
hearts  toward  that  one ;  we  want  a  great  deal  of  grace 
to  keep  it  down.  "  Love  vaunteth  not  itself,  is  not 
puffed  up."  One  of  the  worst  enemies  that  Christians 
have  to  contend  wdth  is  this  spirit  of  rivalry — this 
feeling,  "Who  shall  be  the  greatest?" 

Some  years  ago  I  read  a  book  that  did  me  a  great 
deal  of  good.  It  was  entitled,  "  The  Training  of  the 
Twelve."  The  writer  said  that  Christ  spent  most  of 
His  time  during  the  three  years  He  was  engaged  pub- 
licly about  His  Father's  business  in  training  twelve 
men.  The  training  He  gave  them  was  very  different 
from  the  training  of  the  schools  at  the  present  day. 
The  world  teaches  men  that  they  must  seek  to  be  great; 
Christ  taught  that  His  disciples  must  be  little ;  that  in 
honor  they  must  prefer  one  another;  that  they  are  not 
to  be  puffed  up,  not  to  harbor  feelings  of  envy,  but  to 
be  full  of  meekness  and  gentleness,  and  lowliness  of 
heart. 

When  an  eminent  painter  was  requested  to  paint 
Alexander  the  Great  so  as  to  give  a  perfect  likeness  of 
the  Macedonian  conqueror,  he  felt  a  difficulty.  Alex- 
ander, in  his  wars,  had  been  struck  by  a  sword,  and 


26  "TO  THE  WORK!'' 

across  liis  forehead  was  an  immense  scar.  Tlie  painter 
said:  "  If  I  retain  the  scar,  it  will  be  an  offense  to  the 
admirers  of  the  monarch,  and  if  I  omit  it  it  will  fail  to 
be  a  perfect  likeness.  What  shall  I  do?"  He  hit 
upon  a  happy  expedient;  he  represented  the  Emperor 
leaning  on  his  elbow,  with  his  forefinger  upon  his  brow, 
accidentally,  as  it  seemed,  covering  the  scar  upon  his 
forehead.  Might  not  we  represent  each  other  with  the 
finger  of  charity  upon  the  scar,  instead  of  representing 
the  scar  deeper  and  blacker  than  it  really  is  ?  Christians 
may  learn  even  from  heathendom  a  lesson  of  charity, 
of  human  kindness  and  of  love. 

This  spirit  of  seeking  to  be  the  greatest  has  nearly 
ruined  the  Church  of  God  at  different  times  in  its 
history.  If  the  Church  had  not  been  Divine  it  would 
have  gone  to  pieces  long  ago.  There  is  hardly  any 
movement  of  reform  to-day  that  has  not  been  in 
danger  of  being  thwarted  and  destroyed  through  this 
miserable  spirit  of  ambition  and  self-seeking.  May  God 
enable  us  to  get  above  this,  to  cast  away  our  conceit  and 
pride,  and  take  Christ  as  our  teacher,  that  He  may  show 
us  in  what  spirit  His  work  ought  to  be  done. 

One  of  the  saddest  things  in  the  life  of  Christ  was 
the  working  of  this  spirit  among  His  disciples  even  in 
the  last  hours  of  His  intercourse  with  them,  and  just 
before  He  was  led  away  to  be  crucified.  We  read  in  the 
gospel  by  Luke:  "But,  behold,  the  hand  of  him  that 
betrayeth  Me  is  with  Me  on  the  table.  And  truly  the 
Son  of  man  goeth,  as  it  was  determined:  but  woe  unto 
that  man  by  whom  He  is  betrayed!  And  they  began 
to  inquire  among  themselves,  which  of  them  it  was  that 
should  do  this  thing.    And  there  was  also  a  strife  among 


LOVE,  THE  MOTIVE  POWER  FOR  SERVICE.       27 


them  which  of  them  should  be  accounted  the  ofreatest. 
And  He  said  unto  tliem,  "  The  kings  of  the  Gentiles 
exercise  lordship  over  them  ;  and  they  that  exercise 
authority  upon  them  are  called  benefactors.  But  ye 
shall  not  be  so:  but  he  that  is  greatest  among  you,  let 
him  be  as  the  younger  ;  and  he  that  is  chief,  as  he  that 
doth  serve.  For  whether  is  greater,  he  that  sitteth  at 
meat,  or  he  that  serveth  ?  Is  not  he  that  sitteth  at  meat  ? 
But  I  am  among  you  as  He  that  serveth." 

Bight  there,  on  that  memorable  night  when  He  had 
instituted  the  Last  Supper,  after  they  had  been  eating  of 
the  Passover  Lamb,  and  the  Saviour  was  on  His  way  to 
the  Cross, — even  there  this  spirit  arose  among  them: 
Who  should  be  the  greatest! 

There  is  a  charming  tradition  connected  with  the  site 
on  which  the  temple  of  Solomon  was  erected.  It  is  said 
to  have  been  occupied  in  common  by  two  brothers,  one 
of  whom  had  a  family — the  other  had  none.  On  this  spot 
was  sown  a  field  of  wheat.  On  the  evening  succeeding 
the  harvest — the  wheat  having  been  gathered  in  separate 
shocks — the  elder  brother  said  to  his  wife :  "My  younger 
brother  is  unable  to  bear  the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day, 
I  will  arise,  take  of  my  shocks,  and  place  with  his  with- 
out his  knowledge."  The  younger  brother  being 
actuated  by  the  same  benevolent  motives,  said  within 
himself:  "My  elder  brother  has  a  family,  and  I  have 
none.  I  will  arise,  take  of  my  shocks,  and  place  it 
with  his." 

Judge  of  their  mutual  astonishment,  when,  on  the 
following  day,  they  found  their  respective  shocks  undi- 
minished. This  course  of  events  transpired  for  several 
nights,  when  each  resolved  in  his  own  mind  to  stand 


28  "  TO  THE  WORK  /** 

guard  and  solve  tlie  mystery.  They  did  so;  when,  on 
the  following  night,  they  met  each  other  half  way 
between  their  respective  shocks  with  their  arms  full. 
Upon  ground  hallowed  by  such  associations  as  this  was 
the  temple  of  Solomon  erected — so  spacious  and  mag- 
nificent— the  wonder  and  admiration  of  the  world! 
Alas !  in  these  days,  how  many  would  sooner  steal  their 
brother's  whole  shock  than  add  to  it  a  single  sheaf! 

If  we  want  to  be  wise  in  winning  souls  and  to  be 
vessels  meet  for  the  Master's  use  we  must  get  rid  of  the 
accursed  spirit  of  self-seeking.  That  is  the  meaning  of 
this  chapter  in  Paul's  letter.  He  told  these  Corinthians 
that  a  man  might  be  full  of  faith  and  zeal ;  he  might  be 
very  benevolent;  but  if  he  had  not  love  he  was  like 
sounding  brass  and  a  tinkling  cymbal.  I  believe  many 
men  might  as  well  go  into  the  pulpit  and  blow  a  tin 
horn  Sabbath  after  Sabbath  as  go  on  preaching  with- 
out love.  A  man  may  preach  the  truth;  he  may  be 
perfectly  sound  in  doctrine;  but  if  there  is  no  love  in 
his  heart  going  out  to  those  whom  he  addresses,  and  if 
he  is  doing  it  professionally,  the  Apostle  says  he  is  only 
a  sounding  brass. 

It  is  not  always  more  work  that  we  want  so  much  as 
a  hefier  moiive.  Many  of  us  do  a  good  deal  of  work,  but 
we  must  remember  that  God  looks  at  the  motive.  The 
only  tree  on  this  earth  that  can  produce  fruit  which  is 
pleasing  to  God  is  the  tree  of  love. 

Paul  in  writing  to  Titus  says:  "Speak  thou  the 
things  which  become  sound  doctrine :  that  the  aged  men 
be  sober,  grave,  temperate,  sound  in  faith,  in  charity, 
(or  love)  in  patience."  What  is  the  worth  of  a  sermon, 
however  sound  in  doctrine  it  may  be,  if  it  be  not  sound 


LOVE,  THE  MOTIVE  POWER  FOR  SERVICE.       29 

in  love  and  in  patience?  What  are  our  prayers  worth 
without  the  spirit  of  love  ?  People' say :  "Why  is  it  that 
there  is  no  blessing?  Our  ministers  sermons  and 
prayers  are  very  good."  Most  likely  you  will  find  it  is 
because  the  whole  thing  is  done  professionally.  The 
words  glisten  like  icicles  in  the  sun,  and  they  are  as 
cold.  There  is  not  a  spark  of  love  in  them.  If  that 
is  the  case  there  will  be  very  little  power.  You  may 
have  your  prayer-meetings,  your  praise  meetings,  yoar 
faith  and  hope  meetings;  you  may  talk  about  all  these 
things ;  but  if  there  is  no  love  mingled  with  them,  God 
says  you  are  as  sounding  brass  and  a  tinkling  cymbal. 

Now  a  man  may  be  a  very  good  doctor  and  yet  have 
no  love  for  his  patients.  He  may  be  a  very  clever  and 
successful  lawyer  and  yet  have  no  love  for  his  clients. 
A  merchant  may  prosper  greatly  in  business  without 
caring  at  all  about  his  customers.  A  man  may  be  able 
to  explain  the  wonderful  mysteries  of  science  or  theology 
without  any  love.  But  no  man  can  be  a  true  worker  for 
God,  and  a  successful  winner  of  souls  without  love.  He 
may  be  a  great  preacher  in  the  eyes  of  the  world  and 
have  crowds  flocking  to  hear  him,  but  if  love  to  God  and 
to  souls  is  not  the  motive  power,  the  effects  will  all  pass 
away  like  the  morning  cloud  and  the  early  dew. 

It  is  said  when  the  men  of  Athens  went  to  hear 
Demosthenes  they  were  always  moved,  and  felt  that  they 
must  go  and  fight  Philip  of  Macedon.  There  was  another 
orator  of  that  day  who  could  carry  them  away  by  his 
eloquence  at  the  time,  but  when  the  oration  was  over, 
all  the  influence  had  gone ;  it  was  nothing  but  fine  words. 
So  a  man  may  be  very  eloquent  and  have  a  great  flow 
of  language;  he  may  sway  the  multitudes  while  they 


30  "  TO  THE  WORK  !  " 

are  under  his  influence;  but  if  tliere  is  no  love  at  the 
back  of  what  he  says,  it  will  all  go  for  nothing.  It  was 
Demosthenes'  love  for  his  country  that  stirred  him,  and 
then  he  stirred  the  people. 

When  we  get  on  to  the  higher  plane  of  love  it  will 
not  be  hard  for  us  to  work  for  the  Lord.  We  will  be 
glad  to  do  anything,  however  small.  God  hates  the 
great  things  in  which  love  is  not  the  motive  power; 
but  He  delights  in  the  little  things  that  are  prompted 
by  a  feeling  of  love.  A  cup  of  cold  water  given  to  a 
disciple  in  the  spirit  of  love,  is  of  far  more  value  in 
God's  sight  than  the  taking  of  a  kingdom,  done  out  of 
ambition  and  vain  glory. 

I  am  getting  sick  and  tired  of  hearing  the  word, 
duty,  didy.  You  hear  so  many  talk  about  it  being  their 
duty  to  do  this  and  do  that.  My  experience  is  that  such 
Christians  have  very  little  success.  Is  there  not  a  much 
higher  platform  than  that  of  mere  duty  ?  Can  we  not 
engage  in  the  service  of  Christ  because  we  love  Him  ? 
When  that  is  the  constraining  power  it  is  so  easy  to 
work.  It  is  not  hard  for  a  mother  to  watch  over  a  sick 
child.  She  does  not  look  upon  it  as  any  hardship.  You 
never  hear  Paul  talking  about  what  a  hard  time  he  had 
in  his  Master's  service.  He  was  constrained  by  love  to 
Christ,  and  by  the  love  of  Christ  to  him.  He  counted 
it  a  joy  to  labor,  and  even  to  suffer,  for  his  blessed 
Master. 

Perhaps  you  say  I  ought  not  to  talk  against  duty; 
because  a  good  deal  of  work  would  not  be  done  at  all  if 
it  w^ere  not  done  from  a  sense  of  duty.  But  I  want  you 
to  see  ^hat  a  poor,  low  motive  that  is,  and  how  you  may 
reach  a  higher  plane  of  service. 


LOVE,  THE  MOTIVE  POWER  FOR  SERVICE.      31 

I  am  thinking  of  going  back  to  my  home  soon.  I 
have  in  my  mind  an  old,  white-haired  mother  living  on 
the  banks  of  the  Connecticut  river,  in  the  same  little 
town  where  she  has  been  for  the  last  eighty  years. 
Suppose  when  I  return  I  take  her  some  present,  and 
when  I  give  it  to  her  I  say:  "You  have  been  so  very 
kind  to  me  in  the  past  that  I  thought  it  was  my  duty  to 
bring  you  a  present."  What  would  she  think?  But 
how  different  it  would  be  when  I  give  it  to  her  because 
of  my  strong  love  to  her.  How  much  more  she  would 
value  it.  So  God  wants  His  children  to  serve  Him  for 
something  else  than  mere  duty.  He  does  nat  want  us 
to  feel  that  it  is  a  hard  thing  to  do  His  will. 

Take  an  army  that  fights  because  it  is  compelled  to 
do  so;  they  will  not  gain  many  victories.  But  how 
different  when  they  are  full  of  love  for  their  country 
and  for  their  commanders.  Then  nothing  can  stand 
before  them.  Do  not  think  you  can  do  any  work  for 
Christ  and  hope  to  succeed  if  you  are  not  impelled  by 
love. 

Napoleon  tried  to  establish  a  kingdom  by  the  force  of 
arms.  So  did  Alexander  the  Great,  and  Csesar,  and 
other  great  warriors;  but  they  utterly  failed.  Jesus 
founded  His  kingdom  on  love,  and  it  is  going  to  stand. 
AVlien  we  get  on  to  this  plane  of  love,  then  all  selfish 
and  unworthy  motives  will  disappear,  and  our  work  will 
stand  the  fire  when  God  shall  put  it  to  the  test. 

Another  thing  I  want  you  to  bear  in  mind.  Love 
never  looks  to  see  what  it  is  going  to  get  in  return.  In 
the  Gospel  by  Matthew  we  read  of  the  parable  of  the 
man  who  went  out  to  hire  laborers  that  he  might  send 
them  to  T\^rk  in  his  vineyard.    After  he  had  hired  and 


32  "  TO  THE  WORK  !  " 

sent  out  some  in  tlie  morning,  Ave  are  told  that  lie  found 
others  standing  idle  later  in  the  day,  and  he  sent  them 
also.  It  so  happened  that  those  who  went  out  last  got 
back  first.  Those  that  went  out  early  in  the  morning 
supposed  they  would  get  more  wages  than  those  that 
went  at  the  eleventh  hour,  and  when  they  found  they 
were  only  to  get  the  same,  they  began  to  murmur  and 
complain.  But  what  was  the  good  man's  answer: 
"  Friend,  I  do  thee  no  wrong ;  didst  not  thou  agree  with 
me  for  a  penny?  Take  that  thine  is,  and  go  thy  way; 
I  will  give  unto  this  last,  even  as  unto  thee.  Is  it  not 
lawful  for  me  to  do  what  I  will  with  mine  own  ?  Is  thine 
eye  evil,  because  I  am  good?  So  the  last  shall  be  first, 
and  the  first  last."  I  have  generally  found  that  those 
workers  who  are  all  the  time  looking  to  see  how  much 
they  are  going  to  get  from  the  Lord  are  never  satisfied. 
But  love  does  its  work  and  makes  no  bargain.  Let  us 
make  no  bargains  with  the  Lord,  but  be  ready  to  go  out 
and  do  whatever  He  appoints. 

I  am  sure  if  we  go  out  cherishing  love  in  our  hearts 
for  those  we  are  going  to  try  and  reach,  every  barrier 
will  be  swept  out  of  the  way.  Love  begets  love,  just  as 
hatred  begets  hatred.  Love  is  the  key  to  the  human 
heart.  Some  one  has  said:  "  Light  is  for  the  mind,  and 
love  is  for  the  heart."  When  you  can  reach  men's 
hearts  then  you  can  turn  them  toward  Christ.  But  we 
must  first  win  them  to  ourselves. 

You  may  have  heard  of  the  boy  whose  home  was  near 
a  wood.  One  day  he  was  in  the  wood,  and  he  thought, 
he  heard  the  voice  of  another  boy  not  far  off.  He 
shouted,  "Hallo,  there!"  and  the  voice  shouted  back, 
"Hallo,  there ! "   He  did  not  know  that  it  was  the  echo  of 


LOVE,  THE  MOTIVE  POWER  FOR  SERVICE.      33 

his  own  voice,  and  lie  shouted  again:  "  Yoii  are  a  mean 
boy!"  Again  the  cry  came  back,  "You  are  a  mean 
boy!"  After  some  more  of  the  same  kind  of  thing  he 
went  into  the  house  and  told  his  mother  that  there 
was  a  bad  boy  in  the  wood.  His  mother,  who  under- 
stood how  it  was,  said  to  him:  "Oh,  no!  You  speak 
kindly  to  him,  and  see  if  he  does  not  speak  kindly  to 
you."  He  went  to  the  wood  again  and  shouted: 
"Hallo,  there!"  "Hallo,  there!"  "You  are  a  good 
boy."  Of  course  the  reply  came,  "You  are  a  good 
boy."  "I  love  you."  "I  love  you,"  said  the  other 
voice. 

You  smile  at  that,  but  this  little  story  explains  the 
secret  of  the  whole  thing.  Some  of  you  perhaps  think 
you  have  bad  and  disagreable  neighbors ;  most  likely 
the  trouble  is  with  yourself.  If  you  love  your  neigh- 
bors they  will  love  you.  As  I  said  before,  love  is  the 
key  that  will  unlock  every  human  heart.  There  is  no 
man  or  woman  in  all  this  land  so  low  and  so  degraded 
but  you  can  reach  them  with  love,  gentleness  and  kind- 
ness.    It  may  take  years  to  do  it,  but  it  can  be  done. 

Love  must  be  active.  As  some  one  has  said:  "A 
man  may  hoard  up  his  money;  he  may  bury  his  talents 
in  a  napkin ;  but  there  is  one  thing  he  cannot  hoard  up, 
and  that  is  love."  You  cannot  bury  it.  It  must  flow 
out.  It  cannot  feed  upon  itself;  it  must  have  an 
object. 

I  remember  reading  a  few  years  ago  of  something 
that  happened  when  we  had  the  yellow  fever  in  one  of 
the  Southern  cities.  There  was  a  family  there  who 
lived  in  a  strange  neighborhood  where  they  had  just 
moved.     The  father  was  stricken  down  with  the  fever. 


34  "  TO  THE  WORK  ! 


There  were  so  many  fatal  cases  happening  that  the 
authorities  of  the  city  did  not  stop  to  give  them  a  decent 
burial.  The  dead-cart  used  to  go  through  the  street 
where  the  poor  lived,  and  the  bodies  were  carried  away 
for  burial. 

The  neighbors  of  this  family  were  afraid,  and  no 
one  would  visit  the  house  because  of  the  fever.  It  was 
not  long  before  the  mother  was  stricken  down.  Before 
she  died  she  called  her  boy  to  her,  and  said:  "  I  will 
soon  be  gone,  but  when  I  am  dead  Jesus  will  come  and 
take  care  of  you."  She  had  no  one  on  earth  to  whom 
she  could  commit  him.  In  a  little  while  she,  too,  was 
gone,  and  they  carried  her  body  away  to  the  cemetery. 
The  little  fellow  followed  her  to  the  grave.  He  saw 
where  they  laid  her,  and  then  he  came  back  to  the 
house. 

But  he  found  it  very  lonely,  and  when  it  grew  dark 
he  got  afraid  and  could  not  stay  in  the  house.  He  went 
out  and  sat  down  on  the  step  and  began  to  vreep.  Fi- 
nally he  went  back  to  the  cemetery,  and  finding  the  lot 
where  his  mother  was  buried,  he  laid  down  a  ad  wept 
himself  to  sleep. 

Next  morning  a  stranger  passing  that  way  found  him 
on  the  grave,  still  weeping.  "  What  are  you  doing 
here,  my  boy  ?  "  "  Waiting  for  the  Savior."  The  man 
wanted  to  know  what  he  meant,  and  the  boy  told  the 
story  of  what  his  mother  had  said  to  him.  It  touched 
the  heart  of  the  stranger,  and  he  said,  "'  Well,  my  boy, 
Jesus  has  sent  me  to  take  care  of  you."  The  boy 
looked  up  and  replied:  "  You  have  been  a  long  while 
coming." 

If  we  had  the  love  of  our  Master  do  you  tell  me  that 


LOVE,  THE  MOTIVE  POWER  FOR  SERVICE.       35 

these  outlying  masses  would  not  be  reached  ?  There  is 
not  a  drunkard  who  would  not  be  reached.  There  is 
not  a  poor  fallen  one,  or  a  blasphemer,  or  an  atheist, 
but  would  be  influenced  for  good.  The  atheists  can- 
not get  over  the  power  of  love.  It  will  upset  atheism 
and  every  false  system  quicker  than  anything  else. 
Nothing  will  break  the  stubborn  heart  so  quickly  as  the 
love  of  Christ. 

I  was  in  a  certain  home  a  few  years  ago ;  one  of  the 
household  was  a  boy  who,  I  noticed,  was  treated  like 
one  of  the  family,  and  yet  he  did  not  bear  their  name. 
One  night  I  asked  the  lady  of  the  house  to  explain  to 
me  what  it  meant.  "  I  have  noticed,"  I  said,  "  that  you 
treat  him  exactly  like  your  own  children,  yet  he  is  not 
your  boy."  "  Oh  no,"  she  said,  "  he  is  not.  It  is 
quite  true  I  treat  him  as  my  own  child." 

She  went  on  to  tell  me  his  story.  His  father  and 
mother  were  American  missionaries  in  India ;  they  had 
five  children.  The  time  came  when  the  children  had  to 
be  sent  away  from  India,  as  they  could  not  be  educated 
there.  They  were  to  be  sent  to  America  for  that  pur- 
pose. The  father  and  mother  had  been  very  much 
blessed  in  India,  but  they  felt  as  though  they  could  not 
give  up  their  children.  They  thought  they  would 
leave  their  work  in  the  foreign  field  and  go  back  to 
America. 

They  were  not  blessed  to  the  same  extent  in  working 
at  home  as  they  had  been  in  India.  The  natives  were 
writing  to  them  to  return,  and  by  and  by  they  decided 
that  the  call  was  so  loud  the  father  must  go  back.  The 
mother  said  to  him :  "I  cannot  let  you  go  alone ;  I  must 
go  with  you."      "But  how  can  you  leave  the  children? 


36  "  TO  THE  WORK  !'■ 


You  have  never  been  separated  from  them.  She  said: 
*'  I  can  do  it  for  Christ's  sake."  Thank  God  for  such 
love  as  that. 

When  it  was  known  they  wanted  to  leave  their  chil- 
dren in  good  homes,  this  lady  Avith  whom  I  was  staying 
said  to  the  mother  if  she  left  one  of  them  with  her  she 
would  treat  the  child  as  her  own.  The  mother  came 
and  stayed  a  week  in  the  house  to  see  that  everything 
was  right.  The  last  morning  came.  When  the  car- 
riage drove  up  to  tlie  door  the  mother  said:  "I  want 
to  leave  my  boy  without  shedding  a  tear ;  I  cannot  bear 
to  have  him  think  that  it  costs  me  tears  to  do  what  God 
has  for  me  to  do."  My  friend  saw  that  there  was  a 
great  struggle  going  on.  Her  room  was  adjoining  this 
lady's,  who  told  me  she  heard  the  mother  crying:  "O 
God,  give  me  strength  for  the  hour;  help  me  now." 
She  came  doAvnstairs  with  a  beautiful  smile  on  her  face. 
She  took  her  boy  to  her  bosom,  kissed  him,  and  left 
him  without  a  tear.  She  left  all  her  children,  and  went 
back  to  labor  for  Christ  in  India;  and  from  the  shores 
of  India  she  went  up,  before  very  long,  to  be  with,  her 
Master.  That  is  what  a  weak  woman  can  do  when  love 
to  Christ  is  the  motive  power.  Some  time  after  that 
dear  boy  passed  away  to  be  with  the  mother. 

I  was  preaching  in  a  certain  city  a  few  years  ago, 
and  I  found  a  young  man  very  active  in  bringing  in 
the  boys  from  the  street  into  the  meetings.  If  there 
was  a  hard  case  in  the  city  he  was  sure  to  get  hold  of 
it.  You  would  find  him  in  the  Inquiry  Koom  with  a 
whole  crowd  round  him.  I  got  to  be  very  deeply  in- 
terested in  the  young  man  and  much  attached  to  him. 
I  found  out  that  he  was  another  son  of  that  grand  and 


LOVE,  THE  MOTIVE  POWER  FOR  SERVICE.       37 

glorious  missionary.  I  found  that  all  tlie  sons  were  in 
training  to  go  as  foreign  missionaries,  to  take  the  place 
of  the  mother  and  father,  who  had  gone  to  their  re- 
ward. It  made  such  an  impression  on  me  that  I  could 
not  shake  it  off.  These  boys  have  all  gone  to  tell  out 
among  the  heathen  the  story  of  Christ  and  His  love. 

I  am  convinced  of  this:  When  these  hard-hearted 
people  who  now  reject  the  Savior  are  thoroughly  awake 
to  the  fact  that  love  is  prompting  our  efforts  on  their 
behalf,  the  hardness  will  begin  to  soften,  and  their 
stubborn  wills  will  begin  to  bend.  This  key  of  love 
will  unlock  their  hearts.  We  can  turn  them,  by  God's 
help,  from  the  darkness  of  this  world  to  the  light  of  the 
Gospel. 

Christ  gave  his  disciples  a  badge,.  Some  of  you  wear 
a  blue  ribbon  and  others  wear  a  red  ribbon,  but  the 
badge  that  Christ  gave  to  his  disciples  was  Love.  "  By 
this  shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  My  disciples,  if  ye 
have  love  one  toward  another."  Love  not  only  for  those 
who  are  Christians,  but  love  for  the  fallen.  The  Good 
Samaritan  had  love  for  the  poor  man  who  had  fallen 
among  thieves.  If  we  are  filled  with  such  love  as  that, 
the  world  will  soon  find  out  that  we  are  the  followers  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  It  will  do  more  to  upset  infi- 
delity and  rebellion  against  God  than  anything  else. 

Speaking  about  hard  cases  being  reached,  reminds 
me  that  while  I  was  in  a  home  in  London  a  young  lady 
in  that  home  felt  that  she  was  not  doing  as  much  for 
Christ  as  she  would  like,  and  she  decided  she  would  take 
a  class  of  boys.  She  has  now  some  fifteen  or  twenty 
of  these  lads,  from  thirteen  to  sixteen  years  of  age — a 
very  difficult  age  to  deal  with.     This  Christian  young 


38  "  TO  THE  WORK  /'• 


lady  made  up  lier  mind  that  slie  would  first  try  and  win 
for  herself  the  affection  of  these  boys,  and  then  seek 
to  lead  them  to  the  Savior.  It  is  a  beautiful  sight  to 
see  how  she  has  won  their  young  hearts  for  herself, 
and  I  believe  she  will  win  them  all  to  a  pure  and  Godly 
life.  If  we  are  willing  to  take  up  our  work  among 
the  young  with  that  spirit,  these  boys  will  be 
saved;  and  instead  of  helping  to  fill  our  prisons  and 
poorhouses,  they  will  become  useful  members  of  the 
Church  of  God,  and  a  blessing  to  society. 

I  have  a  friend  who  has  a  large  Sabbath-school. 
He  m.ade  up  his  mind  when  he  began  that  if  a  boy 
did  not  have  a  good  training  in  his  own  home,  he 
could  not  get  it  anywhere  else  except  in  the  Sabbath- 
school;  and  he  resolved  that,  if  possible,  when  a  boy 
was  refractory  he  would  not  turn  him  adrift. 

He  had  a  boy  come  to  the  school  whom  no  teacher 
seemed  able  to  manage.  One  after  another  would 
come  to  the  Superintendent  and  say:  "You  must  take 
him  out  of  my  class ;  he  is  demoralizing  all  the  others ; 
he  uses  profane  language,  and  he  is  doing  more  harm 
than  all  the  good  I  can  do."  At  last  my  friend  made 
up  his  mind  he  would  read  the  boy's  name  out  and  have 
him  expelled  publicly. 

He  told  a  few  of  the  teachers  what  he  was  going  to  do, 
but  a  wealthy  young  lady  said  :  "  I  wish- you  would  le 
me  try  the  boy  ;  I  will  do  all  I  can  to  win  him."  My 
friend  said  to  himself  he  was  sure  she  would  not  have 
patience  with  him  very  long,  but  he  put  the  boy  in  her 
class  as  she  requested.  The  little  fellow  very  soon 
broke  the  rules  in  the  class,  and  she  corrected  him. 
He  got  so  angry  that  he  lost  his  temper  and  spat  in 


LOVE,  THE  MOTIVE  POWER  FOR  SERVICE.       39 

her  face.  Slie  quietly  took  a  handkerchief  and  wiped 
her  face.  At  the  close  of  the  lesson  she  asked  him  if 
he  would  walk  home  with  her  Avhen  school  was  over. 
No,  he  said,  he  didn't  want  to  speak  to  her.  He  was 
not  coming  back  to  that  old  school  any  more.  She  asked 
if  he  would  let  her  w^alk  along  with  him.  No,  he 
woulcbi't.  Well,  she  said,  she  was  sorry  he  was  going, 
but  if  he  w^ould  call  at  her  house  on  Tuesday  morning 
and  ring  the  front  door  bell,  there  would  be  a  little 
parcel  waiting  for  him.  She  would  not  be  at  home 
herself,  but  if  he  asked  the  servant  he  would  receive 
it.  He  replied:  "You  can  keep  your  old  parcel ;  I 
don't  want  it."  However  she  thought  he  would  be 
there. 

By  Tuesday  morning  the  little  fellow  had  got  over 
his  mad  fit.  He  came  to  the  house  and  rang  the  door 
bell  ;  the  servant  handed  him  the  parcel.  When  he 
opened  it  he  found  it  contained  a  little  vest,  a  necktie, 
and,  best  of  all,  a  note  written  by  the  teacher.  She 
told  him  how  every  night  and  every  morning  since  he 
had  been  in  her  class  she  had  been  praying  for  him. 
Now  that  he  was  going  to  leave  her  she  wanted  him  to 
remember  that  as  long  as  she  lived  she  would  pray  for 
him,  and  she  hoped  he  would  grow  up  to  be  a  good 
man. 

Next  morning  the  little  fellow  was  in  the  drawing- 
room  waiting  to  see  her  before  she  came  downstairs 
from  her  bedroom.  She  found  him  there  crying  as  if 
his  heart  would  break.  She  asked  him  kindly  what 
was  the  trouble.  "  Oh,"  he  said,  "  I  have  had  no  peace 
since  I  got  your  letter.  You  have  been  so  kind  to  me 
and  I  have  been  so  unkind  to  you  ;  I  wish  you  would 


40  "  TO  THE  WORK  !  " 

forgive  me."  Said  my  friend,  the  Superintendent, 
"  There  are  about  eighteen  hundred  children  in  the 
school,  and  there  is  not  a  better  boy  among  the  whole 
of  them." 

Can  we  not  do  the  same  as  that  young  lady  did? 
Shall  we  not  reconsecrate  ourselves  now  to  God  and  to 
His  service? 

Had  I  the  tongues  of  Greeks  and  Jews, 
And  nobler  speech  than  angels  use  : 
If  love  be  absent,  I  am  found 
Like  tinkling  brass,  an  empty  sound. 

Were  I  inspired  to  preach  and  tell 
All  that  is  done  in  heaven  and  hell — 
Or  could  my  faith  the  world  remove  : 
Still  I  am  nothing  without  love. 

Should  I  distribute  all  my  store 
To  feed  the  hungry,  clothe  the  poor  * 
,  Or  give  my  body  to  the  flame. 

To  gain  a  martyr's  glorious  name  : 

If  love  to  God  and  love  to  men 
Be  absent,  all  my  hopes  are  vain  ; 
Nor  tongues,  nor  gifts,  nor  fiery  zeal, 
The  work  of  love  can  e'er  fulfill. 

Dr.  Watts. 


FAITH  AND  COURAGE,  41 


CHAPTEE  III. 

FAITH  AND  COURAGE. 


The  key  note  of  all  our  work  for  God  should  be 
Faith.  In  all  my  life  I  have  never  seen  men  or  women 
disappointed  in  receiving  answers  to  their  prayers,  if 
those  persons  were  full  of  faith,  and  had  good  grounds 
for  their  faith.  Of  course  we  must  have  a  warrant  in 
Scripture  for  what  we  expect.  I  am  sure  we  have  a 
good  warrant  in  coming  together  to  pray  for  a  blessing 
on  our  friends  and  on  our  neighbors. 

Unbelief  is  as  much  an  enemy  to  the  Christian  as 
it  is  to  the  unconverted.  It  will  keep  back  the  blessing 
now  as  much  as  it  did  in  the  days  of  Christ.  We  read 
that  in  one  place  Christ  could  not  do  many  mighty 
works  because  of  their  unbelief.  If  Christ  could  not 
do  this,  how  can  we  expect  to  accomplish  anything  if 
the  people  of  God  are  unbelieving?  I  contend  that 
God's  childi^en  are  alone  able  to  hinder  God's  work. 
Infidels,  atheists,  and  sceptics  cannot  do  it.  Where 
there  is  union,  strong  faith,  and  expectation  among 
Christians,  a  mighty  work  is  always  done. 

In  Hebrews  we  read  that  without  faith  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  please  God.  "  For  he  that  cometh  to  God  must 
believe  that  He  is,  and  that  He  is  a  Rewarder  of  them 
that  diligently  seek  Him."     That  is  addressed  to  us 


42  "  TO  THE  WORK  !  " 


wlio  are  Christians  as  mucli  as  to  those  who  are  seek- 
ing God  for  the  first  time.  We  are  all  of  us  seek- 
ing a  blessing  on  our  friends.  We  want  God  to  revive 
us,  and  also  that  the  outlying  masses  may  be  reached. 
We  read  in  this  passage  that  God  blesses  those  who 
"  diligently  seek  Him."  Let  us  diligently  seek  Him 
to-day  ;  let  us  have  great  faith  ;  and  let  our  expecta- 
tion be  from  God. 

I  remember  when  I  was  a  boy,  in  the  spring  of  the 
year,  when  the  snoAV  had  melted  away  on  the  New 
England  hills  where  I  lived,  I  used  to  take  a  certain 
kind  of  glass  and  hold  it  up  to  the  warm  rays  of  the 
sun.  These  would  strike  on  it,  and  I  would  set  the 
woods  on  fire.  Faith  is  the  glass  that  brings  the  fire 
of  God  out  of  heaven.  It  was  faith  that  drew  the  fire 
down  on  Carmel  and  burned  up  Elijah's  offering.  We 
have  the  same  God  to-day,  and  the  same  faith.  Some 
people  seem  to  think  that  faith  is  getting  old,  and  that 
the  Bible  is  wearing  out.  But  the  Lord  Avill  revive  his 
work  now  ;  and  we  shall  be  able  to  set  the  world  on 
fire  if  each  believer  has  a  strong  and  simple  faith. 

In  the  eleventh  chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews 
the  writer  brings  up  one  worthy  after  another,  and  each 
of  them  was  a  man  or  a  woman  of  faith ;  they  made  the 
world  better  by  living  in  it.  Listen  to  this  description 
of  what  was  accomplished  by  these  men  and  women  of 
faith  :  "Who  through  faith  subdued  kingdoms,  wrought 
righteousness,  obtained  promises,  stopped  the  mouths 
of  lions,  quenched  the  violence  of  fire,  escaped  the 
edge  of  the  sword,  out  of  weakness  were  made  strong, 
waxed  valiant  in  fight,  turned  to  flight  the  armies  of 
the  aliens.     Women  received  their  dead  raised  to  life 


FAITH  AND  COURAGE.  43 

again  ;  and  others  were  tortured,  not  accepting  deliv- 
erance ;  that  they  might  obtain  a  better  resurrection: 
and  others  had  trial  of  cruel  mockings  and  scourgings, 
yea,  moreover,  of  bonds  and  imprisonment.  They 
were  stoned,  they  were  sawn  asunder,  were  tempted, 
were  slain  with  the  sword  :  they  wandered  about  in 
sheepskins  and  goatskins,  being  destitute,  afflicted,  tor- 
mented (of  whom  the  world  was  not  worthy) :  they 
wandered  in  deserts,  and  in  mountains,  and  in  dens  and 
caves  of  the  earth.  And  these  all,  having  obtained  a 
good  report  through  faith,  received  not  the  promise  : 
God  having  provided  some  better  thing  for  us,  that 
they  without  us  should  not  be  made  perfect." 

Surely  no  child  of  God  can  read  these  words  with- 
out being  stirred.  It  is  said  that  "  women  received 
their  dead  raised  to  life  again."  Many  of  you  have 
children  who  have  gone  far  astray,  and  have  been  taken 
captive  by  strong  drink,  or  led  away  by  their  lusts  and 
passions  ;  and  you  have  become  greatly  discouraged 
about  them.  But  if  you  have  faith  in  God  they  may 
be  raised  up  as  from  the  dead,  and  brought  back  again. 
The  wanderers  may  be  reclaimed  ;  the  drunkards  and 
the  harlots  may  be  reached  and  saved.  There  is  no 
man  or  woman,  however  low  he  or  she  may  have  sunk, 
but  can  be  reached. 

We  ought  in  these  days  to  have  far  more  faith  than 
Abel,  or  Enoch,  or  Abraham  had.  They  lived  away 
on  the  other  side  of  the  Cross.  We  talk  about  the 
faith  of  Elijah,  and  the  Patriarchs  and  Prophets;  but 
they  lived  in  the  dim  light  of  the  past,  while  we  are 
in  the  full  blaze  of  Calvary,  and  the  Resurrection. 
When  we  look  back  and  think  of  what  Chi'ist  did,  how 


44  "  TO  THE  WORK  / "  •  - 

He  poured  out  His  blood  tliat  men  miglit  be  saved,  we 
ouglit  to  go  forth  in  His  strength  and  conquer  the 
world.    Our  God  is  able  to  do  great  and  mighty  things. 

You  remember  that  the  Roman  Centurion  sent  for 
Christ  to  heal  his  servant;  when  the  Savior  drew 
near,  the  Centurion  sent  to  Him  to  say  that  He  need 
not  take  the  trouble  to  come  into  his  house  ;  all  that 
was  needed  was  that  He  should  speak  the  word  and  his 
servant  would  live.  Probably  he  thought  that  if  Christ 
had  the  power  to  create  worlds,  to  say  "Let  there  be 
be  light,"  and  there  was  light,  to  make  the  sea  and  the 
earth  bring  forth  abundantly.  He  could  easily  say  the 
word  and  raise  up  his  sick  servant.  We  are  told  that 
when  Christ  received  the  Roman  soldier's  message  He 
marvelled  at  his  faith.  Dear  friends,  let  us  have  faith 
at  this  moment  that  God  will  do  great  things  in  our 
midst. 

Caleb  and  Joshua  were  men  of  faith.  They  were 
worth  more  to  Israel  than  all  the  camp  of  unbelievers 
and  the  other  ten  spies  put  together.  We  read  that 
Moses  sent  out  twelve  men  to  spy  out  the  land.  Let 
me  say  that  faith  never  sends  out  any  spies.  You  may 
perhaps  reply  that  Moses  was  commanded  by  God  to 
send  them  out  ;  but  we  read  that  it  was  because  of  the 
hardness  of  their  hearts.  If  they  had  believed  in  God, 
they  would  have  taken  possession  of  the  land  at  Kadesli 
Barnea.  I  suppose  these  twelve  men  were  chosen  be- 
cause they  were  leading  men  and  influential  men  in  the 
twelve  tribes. 

After  they  had  been  gone  some  thirty  days  they 
came  back  with  what  wo  might  call  a  minority  and  a 
majority  report.     All  the  twelve  admitted  that  the  land 


FAITH  AND  COURAGE.  45 

was  a  good  land,  but  the  ten  said,  "  We  are  not  able  to 
take  it.  We  saw  giants  there — the  sons  of  Anak." 
You  can  see  these  ten  spies  in  camp  the  night  thej  re- 
turned ;  great  crowds  are  gathered  around  them  listen- 
ing to  their  reports.  Probably  there  were  very  few 
gathered  to  hear  Caleb  and  Joshua.  It  really  seems 
sometimes  that  people  are  much  more  ready  to  believe 
a  lie  than  to  believe  the  truth.  So  these  unbelievinof 
men  gathered  around  the  ten  spies.  One  of  them  is 
describing  the  giants  in  the  land,  and  he  says  :  "  AVhy, 
I  had  to  look  right  up  in  order  to  see  their  faces  ;  they 
made  the  earth  tremble  at  their  tread.  The  mountains 
and  valleys  are  full  of  them.  Then  we  saw  great 
walled  cities.     We  are  not  able  to  take  the  land." 

But  Caleb  and  Joshua  had  quite  a  different  story  to 
tell.  Those  mighty  giants  seemed  to  be  as  grass- 
hoppers in  their  sight.  These  men  of  faith  remembered 
how  God  had  delivered  them  out  of  the  hand  of  Pharaoh 
and  brought  them  through  the  Eed  Sea;  how  He  had 
given  them  bread  from  heaven  to  eat,  and  water  to 
drink  from  the  rock  in  the  wilderness.  If  He  marched 
with  them  surely  they  could  go  right  up  and  take  pos- 
session of  the  land.  So  they  said:  "Let  us  go  up  at 
once  and  possess  it;  we  are  well  able  to  take  it." 

What  do  we  see  in  the  Church  of  God  to-day? 
About  ten  out  of  every  twelve  professed  Christians  are 
looking  at  the  giants,  at  the  v/a,lls,  and  at  the  difficulties 
in  the  way.  They  say:  "We  are  not  able  to  accomplish 
this  work.  We  might  do  it  if  there  were  not  so  many 
drinking  saloons,  and  so  much  drunkenness,  and  so 
many  atheists  and  opposers."  Let  us  not  give  heed  to 
these  unbelieving  professors.    If  we  have  faith  in  God 


46  "  TO  THE  WORK  ! " 


we  are  well  able  to  go  up  and  possess  tlie  land  for 
Christ.     God  always  delights  to  honor  faith. 

It  may  be  some  sainted  weak  woman,  some  bed-ridden 
one  who  is  not  able  to  attend  the  meetings,  who  will 
bring  down  the  blessing.  In  the  day  when  every  man's 
work  is  tested,  it  may  be  seen  that  some  hidden  one 
who  honored  God  by  a  simple  faith  was  the  one  who 
caused  such  a  blessing  to  descend  upon  our  cities  as 
shall  shake  the  land  from  end  to  end. 

Again,  in  these  Bible  histories  we  find  that  faith  is 
always  followed  by  COURAGE.     Caleb  and  Joshua  were 
full  of  courage,  because  they  were  men  of  faith.    Those 
who  have  been  greatly  used  of  God  in  all  ages  have 
been  men  of  courage.     If  we  are  full  of  faith  we  shall 
not  be  full  of  fear,  distrusting  God  all  the  while.    That 
is  the  trouble  with  the  Church  of  Christ  to-day — there 
are  so  many  who  are  fearful,  because  they  do  not  believe 
that  God  is  going  to  use  them.    What  we  need  is  to  have 
the  courage  that  will  compel  us  to  move  forward.    Per- 
haps if  we  do  this  we  may  have  to  go  against  the  advice 
of  lukewarm  Christians.     There  are  some  who  never 
seem  to  do  anything  but  object,  because  the  work  is  not 
always  carried  on  exactly    according    to   their   ideas. 
They  will  say:   "I  do  not  think  that  is  the  best  way  to 
do  things.""    They  are  very  fruitful  in  raising  objections 
to  any  plans  that  can  be  suggested.     If  any  onward 
step  is  taken  they  are  ready  to  throw  cold  water  on  it; 
they  will  suggest  all  kinds  of  difficulties.     We  want  to 
have  such  faith  and  courage  as  shall  enable  us  to  move 
forward  without  waiting  for  these  timid  unbelievers. 

In  the  second  book  of  Chronicles  we  read  that  King 
Asa  had  to  s.o  riirht  aarainst  his  father  and  mother:  it 


FAITH  AND  COURAGE.  47 

took  a  good  deal  of  courage  to  do  that.  He  removed 
his  mother  from  being  queen,  and  cut  down  the  idols 
and  burnt  them.  There  are  times  when  we  have  to  ^o 
against  those  who  ought  to  be  our  best  friends.  Is  it 
not  time  for  us  to  launch  out  into  the  deep?  I  have 
never  seen  people  go  out  into  the  lanes  and  alleys,  into 
the  hedges  and  highways,  and  try  to  bring  the  people 
in,  but  the  Lord  gave  His  blessing.  If  a  man  has  the 
courage  to  go  right  to  his  neighbor  and  speak  to  him 
about  his  soul,  God  is  sure  to  smile  upon  the  effort. 
The  person  wdio  is  spoken  to  may  w^ake  up  cross,  but 
that  is  not  always  a  bad  sign.  He  may  write  a  letter 
next  day  and  apologize.  At  any  rate  it  is  better  to 
wake  him  up  in  this  way  than  that  he  should  continue 
to  slumber  on  to  death  and  ruin. 

You  notice  when  God  was  about  to  deliver  Israel  out 
of  the  hand  of  the  Midianites,  how  he  taught  this  les- 
son to  Gideon.  Gideon  had  gathered  around  him  an 
army  of  thirty-two  thousand  men.  He  may  probably 
have  counted  them,  and  wdien  he  knew  that  the  Midian- 
ites had  an  army  of  a  hundred  and  thirty-five  thousand 
he  said  to  himself:  "My  army  is  too  small;  I  am 
afraid  I  shall  not  succeed."  But  the  Lord's  thoughts 
were  different.  He  said  to  Gideon:  "You  have  too 
many  men."  So  He  told  him  that  all  those  among  the 
tliirty-two  thousand  who  were  fearful  and  afraid  might 
go  back  to  their  own  homes,  to  their  wdves  and  their 
mothers;  let  them  step  to  the  rear.  No  sooner  had 
Gideon  given  this  command  than  twenty-two  thousand 
men  wheeled  out  of  line.  It  may  be  Gideon  thought 
the  Lord  had  made  a  mistake  as  he  saw  his  army  melt 
away.  If  two-thirds  of  a  great  audience  were  to  rise 
and  go  out  you  would  think  they  were  all  going. 


48  -        "  TO  THE  WORK." 

The  Lord  said:  "Gideon,  you  have  too  many  men 
yet.  Take  your  men  down  to  the  brook  and  try  them 
once  more.  All  those  who  take  the  water  up  in  their 
hands  and  drink  as  they  pass  by  can  stay;  those  who 
stoop  down  to  drink  can  go  back."  Again  he  gave  the 
word,  and  nine  thousand  seven  hundred  wheeled  out  of 
line  and  went  to  the  rear,  so  that  Gideon  was  left  with 
three  hundred  men.  But  this  handful  of  men  whose 
hearts  beat  true  to  the  God  of  heaven,  and  who  were 
ready  to  go  forward  in  His  name,  were  worth  more 
than  all  the  others  who  were  all  the  time  sowing  seeds 
of  discontent  and  predicting  defeat.  Nothing  will  dis- 
courage an  army  like  that.  Nothing  is  more  discour- 
aging in  a  Church  than  to  have  a  number  of  the 
people  all  the  time  expecting  disaster  and  saying:  "We 
do  not  think  this  effort  will  amount  to  anything;  it  is 
not  according  to  our  ideas." 

It  would  be  a  good  thing  for  the  Church  of  God  if 
all  the  fearful  and  faithless  ones  were  to  step  to  the 
rear,  and  let  those  who  are  full  of  faith  and  courage 
take  their  empty  pitchers  and  go  forward  against  the 
enemy.  This  little  band  of  three  hundred  men  who 
were  left  with  Gideon  routed  the  Midianites ;  but  it  was 
not  their  own  might  that  gave  them  the  victory.  It 
was  "  the  sword  of  the  Lord  and  of  Gideon."  If  we 
go  on  in  the  Name  of  the  Lord,  and  trusting  to  His 
might,  we  shall  succeed. 

Before  Moses  went  up  to  heaven  he  did  all  he  could 
to  encourage  Joshua,  to  strengthen  and  cheer  him. 
There  was  no  sign  of  jealousy  in  the  heart  of  Moses, 
although  he  was  not  p'ermitted  to  go  into  the  land.  He 
went  up  to  the  top  of  Pisgah  and  saw  that  it  was  a 


FAITH  AND  COURAGE.  49 

good  laud ;  and  he  tried  to  encourage  Joshua  to  go  for- 
ward and  take  possession  of  it.  After  Moses  had  gone, 
we  read  that  three  times  in  one  chapter  God  said  to 
Joshua:  "Be  of  good  courage."  God  cheered  his  ser- 
vant; "There  shall  not  any  man  be  able  to  stand  before 
thee  all  the  days  of  thy  life."  Soon  after  that  Joshua 
took  a  walk  around  the  walls  of  Jericho.  As  he  walked 
around  he  saw  a  man  stand  before  him  with  a  drawn 
sword  in  his  hand.  Joshua  was  not  afraid,  but  he 
said:  "Art  thou  for  us  or  for  our  adversaries.?"  His 
courage  was  rewarded,  for  the  man  replied:  "As  Cap- 
tain of  the  host  of  the  Lord  am  I  now  come."  He  had 
been  sent  to  encourage  him  and  to  lead  him  on  to 
victory. 

So  you  will  find  all  through  the  Scriptures  that  God 
uses  those  who  have  courage,  and  not  those  who  are 
looking  for  defeat. 

Another  thought:  I  never  knew  a  case  where  God 
used  a  discouraged  man  or  woman  to  accomplish  any 
great  thing  for  Him.  Let  a  minister  go  into  the  pul- 
pit in  a  discouraged  frame  of  mind  and  it  becomes  con- 
tagious. It  will  soon  reach  the  pews,  and  the  whole 
church  will  become  discouraged.  So  with  a  Sabbath- 
school  teacher ;  I  never  knew  a  worker  of  any  kind  who 
was  full  of  discouragement  and  who  met  with  success  in 
the  Lord's  work.  It  seems  as  if  God  cannot  make  any 
use  of  such  a  man. 

I  remember  a  man  telling  me  he  preached  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  without  any  result.  He  used  to  say  to  his 
wife  as  they  went  to  church  that  he  knew  the  people 
would  not  believe  anything  he  said;  and  there  was  no 
blessing.  At  last  he  saw  his  error;  he  asked  God  to 
4 


50  "  TO  THE  WORK  / 


help  him,  and  took  courage,  and  then  the  blessing 
came.  "According  to  your  faith  it  shall  be  unto  you." 
This  man  had  expected  nothing  and  he  got  just  what 
he  expected.  Dear  friends,  let  us  expect  that  God  is 
going  to  use  us.  Let  us  have  courage  and  go  forward, 
looking  to  God  to  do  great  things. 

Elijah  on  Mount  Carmel  was  one  man;  Elijah  under 
the  juniper  tree  was  quite  another  man.  In  the  one 
case  he  was  a  giant,  and  nothing  could  stand  before 
him.  When  he  lost  heart  and  got  terrified  at  Jezebel's 
message,  and  wished  himself  dead,  God  could  not  use 
him.  The  Lord  had  to  go  to  him  and  say:  "What 
doest  thou  here,  Elijah?"  I  wish  God  would  speak  to 
many  professing  Christians  who  have  their  harps 
on  the  willows,  and  are  out  of  communion  with  Him, 
so  that  they  are  of  no  use  in  His  cause. 

When  Peter  denied  his  Master  he  was  a  very  diiBfer- 
ent  man  from  what  he  was  on  the  day  of  Pentecost. 
He  got  out  of  communion  with  his  Lord,  and  the  word 
of  a  servant  nearly  frightened  him  out  of  his  life.  He 
denied  his  Master  with  oaths  and  cursing.  How  ter- 
ribly a  man  falls  when  he  loses  faith  and  courage. 

But  he  was  restored ;  look  at  him  on  the  day  of  Pen- 
tecost. If  that  maid  whose  question  made  him  trem- 
ble had  been  present,  and  heard  him  preach  the 
marvellous  sermon  recorded  in  the  Acts,  I  can  imagine 
she  would  be  the  most  amazed  person  in  all  tlerusalem, 
"Why,"  she  says,  "I  saw  him  a  few  days  ago,  and  he 
was  terribly  alarmed  at  being  called  a  disciple  of 
Christ;  now  he  stands  up  boldly  for  this  same  Christ; 
he  has  no  shame  now."  God  used  him  mightily 
on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  as  he  preached  to  that  vast 


FAITH  AND  COURAGE.  51 

congregation,  some  of  whom  were  the  very  murderers 
of  his  Lord  and  Master.  But  he  coukl  not  use  Peter  till 
he  had  repented  of  his  cowardice  and  had  been  restored 
to  faitli  and  courage.  So  when  any  man  who  is  work- 
ing for  Christ  loses  heart  and  gets  discouraged,  the 
Lord  has  to  lay  him  aside. 

I  remember  a  number  of  years  ago  I  got  cast  down 
for  a  good  many  weeks.  One  Sunday  in  particular  I 
had  preached  and  there  did  not  seem  to  be  any  result. 
On  the  Monday  I  was  very  much  cast  down.  I  was  sit- 
ting in  my  study  and  was  looking  at  myself,  brooding 
over  my  want  of  success.  A  young  man  called  upon 
me,  who  had  a  Bible  class  of  100  adults  in  the  Sabbath- 
school  which  I  conducted.  As  he  came  in  I  could  see  he 
was  away  upon  the  mountain  top,  while  I  was  down  in 
the  valley.  Said  he  to  me,  "What  kind  of  a  day  did 
you  have  yesterday?"  "Very  poor;  I  had  no  success, 
and  I  feel  quite  cast  down.  How  did  you  get  on  ? " 
"Oh,  grandly;  I  never  had  a  better  day."  "What  was 
your  subject?"  "I  had  the  life  and  character  of  Noah. 
Did  you  ever  preach  on  Noah  ?  Did  you  ever  study  up 
his  life?"  "AVell,  no;  I  do  not  know  as  ever  I  made  it 
a  special  study."  I  thought  I  knew  pretty  well  all  there 
was  about  him  in  the  Bible ;  you  know  all  that  is  told  us 
about  him  is  contained  in  a  few  verses.  "If  you  never 
studied  it  before,  you  had  better  do  it  now.  It  will 
do  you  good.     Noah  was  a  wonderful  character." 

When  the  young  man  went  out  I  got  my  Bible  and 
some  other  books,  and  read  all  I  could  find  about  Noah. 
I  had  not  been  reading  long  before  the  thought  came 
stealing  over  me:  Here  Avas  a  man  who  toiled  on  for 
a  hundred  and  twenty  years  and  never  had  a  single 


52  "  TO  THE  WORK  !  " 

convert  ontsicle  of  his  own  family.  Yet  lie  did  not  get 
discouraged.  I  closed  up  my  Bible ;  the  cloud  had  gone ; 
I  started  out  and  went  to  the  noon  prayer-meeting.  I 
had  not  been  there  long  when  a  man  got  up  and  said 
he  had  come  from  a  little  town  in  Illinois.  On  the  day 
before  he  had  admitted  a  hundred  young  converts  to 
Church  membership.  As  he  -^as  speaking  I  said  to 
myself:  "I  wonder  what  Noah  would  have  given  if  he 
could  have  heard  that.  He  never  had  any  such  result 
as  that  to  his  labors." 

Then  in  a  little  while  a  man  who  sat  right  behind 
me  stood  up.  His  hand  was  on  the  seat,  and  I  felt  it 
shake;  I  could  realise  that  the  man  was  trembling. 
He  said:  "  I  wish  you  would  pray  for  me;  I  would  like 
to  become  a  Christian."  Thought  I  to  myself:  "I 
wonder  what  Noah  would  have  given  if  he  had  heard 
that.  He  never  heard  a  single  soul  asking  God  for 
mercy,  yet  he  did  not  get  discouraged."  I  have  never 
hung  my  harp  on  the  T^dllows  since  that  day.  Let  us 
ask  God  to  take  away  the  clouds  of  fear  and  unbelief; 
let  us  get  out  of  Doubting  Castle;  let  us  move  forward 
courageously  in  the  name  of  our  God  and  expect  to  see 
results. 

If  you  cannot  engage  in  any  active  work  yourselves 
you  can  do  a  good  deal  by  cheering  on  others.  Some 
people  not  only  do  nothing,  but  they  are  all  the  time 
throwing  discouragement  on  others,  in  every  forward 
step  they  take.  If  you  meet  with  them  they  seem  to 
chill  you  through  and  through.  I  think  I  would  as 
soon  face  the  east  wind  in  Edinburgh  in  the  month  of 
March,  as  come  in  contact  with  some  of  these  so-called 
Christians.     Perhaps   they  are  speaking  about  some 


FAITH  AND  COURAGE.  53 

effort  that  lias  been  made,  and  they  say:  "Well,  yes,  a 
good  deal  of  work  was  done,  but  then  many  were  not 
reached  at  all."  Such  and  such  a  thing  ought  to  have 
been  done  in  a  different  way,  and  I  know  not  what. 
They  are  all  the  time  looking  at  the  dark  side. 

Let  us  not  give  heed  to  these  gloomy  and  discourag- 
ing remarks.  In  the  name  of  our  great  Commander  let 
us  march  on  to  battle  and  to  victory.  There  are  some 
generals  whose  name  alone  is  worth  more  than  a  whole 
army  of  ten  thousand  men.  In  our  army  in  the  Civil 
AVar  there  were  some  whose  presence  sent  a  cheer  all 
along  the  line.  As  they  passed  on  cheer  upon  cheer 
went  up.  The  men  knew  who  was  going  to  lead  them, 
and  they  were  sure  of  having  success.  "  The  boys  " 
liked  to  fight  under  such  generals  as  that.  Let  us 
encourage  ourselves  in  the  Lord,  and  encourage  each 
other ;  then  we  shall  have  good  success. 

We  read  in  the  book  of  First  Chronicles  that  Joab 
cheered  on  those  who  were  helping  him  in  warfare. 
"Be  of  good  courage,  and  let  us  behave  ourselves 
valiantly  for  our  people  and  for  the  cities  of  our  God ; 
and  let  the  Lord  do  that  which  is  good  in  His  sight." 
Let  us  go  forward  in  this  spirit,  and  the  Lord  will  make 
us  to  triumph  over  our  foes.  If  we  cannot  be  in  the 
battle  ourselves  let  us  not  seek  to  discourage  others. 
A  Highland  chief  of  the  M'Gregor  clan  fell  wounded 
at  the  battle  of  Sheriff-Muir.  Seeing  their  leader  fall, 
the  clan  wavered,  and  gave  the  foe  an  advantage.  The 
old  chieftain,  perceiving  this,  raised  himself  on  his 
elbow,  while  the  blood  streamed  from  his  wounds,  and 
cried  out,  "I  am  not  dead,  my  children;  I  am  looking 
at  you  to  see  you  do  your  duty."    This  roused  them  to 


54  "  TO  THE  WORK  !  *' 

new  energy  and  almost  superhuman  effort.  So,  when 
our  strength  fails  and  our  hearts  sink  within  us,  the 
Captain  of  our  salvation  cries:  "Lo,  I  am  Avith  you 
alway,  even  to  the  end  of  the  world.  I  will  never  leave 
nor  forsake  thee.  Be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I 
will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life." 

A  friend  of  mine  was  telling  me  that  a  worker  came 
to  him  very  much  cast  down.  Everything  was  going 
wrong,  and  he  was  greatly  depressed.  My  friend 
turned  upon  him  and  said:  "Do  you  have  any  doubt 
about  the  final  result  of  things  ?  Is  Jesus  Christ  going 
to  set  up  His  Kingdom,  and  reign  from  the  rivers  to 
the  ends  of  the  earth?  Is  He  going  to  succeed  or  not?" 
The  man  said  that  of  course  Christ  was  going  to 
triumph;  he  had  never  thought  of  it  in  that  light.  If 
people  would  sometimes  take  a  look  into  the  future  and 
remember  the  promises,  they  would  not  be  cast  down. 
Dear  friends,  Christ  is  going  to  reign.  Let  us  go  out 
and  do  the  work  He  has  given  us  to  do.  If  it  happens 
to  be  dark  round  about  us,  let  us  remember  it  is  light 
somewhere  else.  If  we  are  not  succeeding  just  as  we 
would  like,  others,  it  may  be,  are  succeeding  better. 

Think  of  the  opportunities  we  have,  compared  with 
the  early  Christians.  Look  at  the  mighty  obstacles 
they  had  to  encounter — how  they  had  often  to  seal 
their  testimony  with  their  blood.  See  what  Peter  had 
to  fight  against  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  when  the 
people  looked  on  him  with  scorn.  The  disciples  in 
those  days  had  no  committee  to  put  up  large  buildings 
for  their  use,  in  which  they  could  preach.  They  had 
no  band  of  ministers  sitting  near  by,  to  pray  for  them, 
and  help  them  and  cheer  them  on.     Yet  look  at  the 


FAITB  ANiD  COURAOE.  55 

wonderful  results  of  Peter's  preaching  on  the  day  of 
Pentecost. 

Look  at  the  dense  darkness  that  surrounded  Martin 
Luther  in  Germany.  Look  at  the  difficulties  that  John 
Knox  had  to  meet  with  in  Scotland.  Yet  these  men 
did  a  mighty  and  a  lasting  work  for  God  in  their  day 
and  generation ;  we  are  reaping  the  blessed  fruits  of 
their  faithful  labors  even  now.  Look  at  the  darkness 
that  brooded  over  England  in  the  days  of  AVesley  and 
Whitefield.  See  how  God  blessed  their  efforts;  and 
yet  they  had  a  great  many  obstacles  to  contend  with 
that  we  do  not  have  in  these  days.  They  went  forward 
with  strong  and  courageous  hearts,  and  the  Lord  gave 
them  success. 

I  believe  if  our  forefathers  who  lived  in  the  last 
century  could  come  back  to  this  world  in  the  flesh,  they 
would  be  amazed  to  see  the  wonderful  opportunities 
that  we  have.  We  have  a  great  many  advantages  they 
did  not  possess,  and  probably  did  not  dream  of.  We 
live  in  a  grand  and  glorious  day.  It  took  John  Wesley 
months  to  cross  the  Atlantic ;  now  we  can  do  it  a  few 
days.  Think  of  the  power  of  the  printing  press  in 
these  days;  we  can  print  and  scatter  sermons  to  all  the 
corners  of  the  earth.  Look  at  the  marvellous  facilities 
that  we  have  in  the  electric  telegraph.  Then  we  can 
take  the  railway  train  and  go  and  preach  at  a  distance 
of  hundreds  of  miles  in  a  few  hours.  Am  I  not  right 
in  saying  that  we  live  in  a  glorious  day?  Let  us  not 
be  discouraged,  but  let  us  use  all  these  wonderful  oppor- 
tunities, and  honor  God  by  expecting  great  things. 
If  we  do  we  will  not  be  disappointed.  God  is  ready 
and  Avilling  to  work,  if  we  are  ready  and  willing  to  let 
Him,  and  to  be  used  by  Him. 


56  "  TO  THE  WORK  !  " 

It  may  be  that  some  are  old  and  feeble,  and  are  say- 
ing to  themselves :  "  I  wish  I  were  young  again ;  I  would 
like  to  go  out  into  the  thick  of  the  battle."  But  any  one, 
young  or  old,  can  go  into  the  homes  of  the  people  and 
invite  them  to  come  out  to  the  meetings.  There  are 
large  halls  every^\^here  with  plenty  of  room ;  there  are 
many  who  will  help  sing  the  Gospel.  The  Gospel  will 
also  be  preached,  and  there  are  many  people  who  might 
be  induced  to  come,  who  -^dll  not  go  out  to  the  regular 
places  of  worship. 

If  you  are  not  able  to  go  and  invite  the  people,  as  I 
have  said,  you  can  give  a  word  of  cheer  to  others,  and 
wish  them  Godspeed.  Many  a  time  when  I  have  come 
down  from  the  pulpit,  some  old  man,  trembling  on  the 
very  verge  of  another  world,  living  perhaps  on  bor- 
rowed time,  has  caught  hold  of  my  hand,  and  in  a  quav- 
ering voice  said,  "  God  bless  you  !  "  How  the  words 
have  cheered  and  helped  me.  Many  of  you  can  speak 
a  word  of  encouragement  to  the  younger  friends,  if  you 
are  too  feeble  to  work  yourselves. 

Then  again,  you  can  pray  that  God  will  bless  the 
words  that  are  spoken  and  the  efforts  that  are  made. 
It  is  very  easy  to  preach  when  others  are  all  the  time 
praying  for  you  and  sympathizing  v/ith  you,  instead  of 
criticising  and  finding  fault. 

You  have  heard  the  story,  I  suppose,  of  the  child 
who  was  rescued  from  the  fire  that  was  raging  in  a  house 
away  up  in  the  fourth  story.  The  child  came  to  the 
window,  and  as  the  flames  were  shooting  up  higher  and 
higher  it  cried  out  for  help.  A  fireman  started  up  the 
ladder  of  the  fire-escape  to  rescue  the  child  from  its  dan- 
gerous position.    The  wind  swept  the  flames  near  him, 


FAITH  AND  COURAGE.  57 

and  it  was  getting  so  hot  that  he  wavered,  and  it  looked 
as  if  he  would  have  to  return  without  the  child.  Thous- 
ands looked  on,  and  their  hearts  quaked  at  the  thought 
of  the  child  having  to  perish  in  the  fire,  as  it  must  do 
if  the  fireman  did  not  reach  it.  Some  one  in  the  crowd 
cried,  "Give  him  a  cheer!"  Cheer  after  cheer  went  up, 
and  as  the  man  heard  them  he  gathered  fresh  courage. 
Up  he  went  into  the  midst  of  the  smoke  and  the  fire, 
and  brought  down  the  child  in  safety.  If  you  cannot 
go  and  rescue  the  perishing  yourselves,  you  can  at 
least  pray  for  those  who  do,  and  cheer  them  on.  If 
you  do,  the  Lord  will  bless  the  effort. 

"They  helped  every  one   his  neighbor;  and  every 
one  said  to  his  brother,  'Be  of  good  courage.'" 

We  are  living,  we  are  dwelling 

In  a  grand  and  awful  time, 
In  an  age  on  ages  telling— 

To  be  hving  is  subhme. 

Oh,  let  all  the  soul  within  you 
For  the  truth's  sake  go  abroad! 

Strike  !  let  every  nerve  and  sinew 
TeU  on  ages — teU  for  God  ! 

Coxe, 


58  "  TO  THIS  WORK  /'* 


CHAPTER  lY. 

FAITH  REWARDED. 


"  And  it  came  to  pass  on  a  certain  day,  as  He  was 
teaching,  that  there  were  Pharisees  and  doctors  of  the 
law  sitting  by,  which  were  come  out  of  every  town  of 
Galilee,  and  Judaea  and  Jerusalem;  and  the  power  of 
the  Lord  was  present  to  heal  them.  And,  behold,  men 
brought  in  a  bed  a  man  which  was  taken  with  a  palsy; 
and  they  sought  means  to  bring  him  in,  and  to  lay  him 
before  Him,  And  when  they  could  not  find  by  what 
way  they  might  bring  him  in,  because  of  the  multitude, 
they  went  upon  the  house-top,  and  let  him  down  through 
the  tiling  with  his  couch  into  the  midst  before  Jesus. 
And  when  He  saw  their  faith,  He  said  unto  him,  '  Man, 
thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee.' " 

All  the  three  evangelists,  Matthew,  Mark  and  Luke, 
record  this  miracle.  I  have  noticed  that  when  any  two 
or  three  of  the  Gospel  writers  record  a  miracle  it  is  to 
bring  out  some  important  truth.  It  seems  to  me  that 
the  truth  the  Lord  would  teach  us  here  is  this:  The 
honor  He  put  upon  the  faith  of  these  four  men  who 
brought  the  palsied  man  to  him  for  healing.  Whether 
the  palsied  man  himself  had  any  faith  we  are  not  told; 
it  was  when  He  saw  '■^ilicir  faith"  that  His  power  was 
put  forth  to  cure  the  sick  of  the  palsy. 


FAITH  REWARDED.  59 


I  want  to  say  to  all  Christian  workers,  that  if  the 
Lord  sees  our  faith  for  those  whom  we  wish  to  be  blessed, 
He  will  honor  it.  He  has  never  disappointed  the  faith 
of  any  of  His  cliildren  yet.  You  cannot  find  an  in- 
stance in  the  Bible,  where  any  man  or  woman  has  exer- 
cised true  faith  in  God,  where  it  has  not  been  honored. 
Nothing  that  the  Savior  found  when  He  was  on  this 
sin-cursed  earth  pleased  Him  so  much  as  to  see  the 
faith  of  His  disciples ;  nothing  refreshed  His  heart  so 
much. 

We  read  in  the  Gospel  narrative  that  there  was  a 
great  stir  in  the  town  of  Capernaum  at  this  time.  A 
few  weeks  before,  the  Savior  had  been  cast  out  of  his 
native  town  of  Nazareth.  He  had  come  down  to  Ca- 
pernaum, and  the  whole  country  was  greatly  moved. 
His  star  was  just  rising,  and  His  fame  was  being  spread 
abroad.  Peter's  wife's  mother  had  been  healed  by  a 
word.  The  servant  of  an  officer  in  the  Roman  army 
had  been  raised  up  from  a  sick  bed,  and  the  Savior  had 
performed  many  other  wonderful  miracles.  Men  had 
come  to  Capernaum  from  every  town  in  Galilee,  and 
Judaea,  and  from  Jerusalem.  They  had  gathered  to- 
gether to  look  into  these  wonderful  events  that  were 
occurring.  The  voice  of  John  the  Baptist  had  been 
ringing  through  the  land,  proclaiming  to  the  people 
that  a  Prophet  would  soon  make  His  appearance,  whose 
shoe  latchet  he  was  not  worthy  to  unloose.  While  the 
Baptist  was  telling  out  this  message  the  Prophet  Him- 
self made  His  appearance  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
country,  and  all  these  wonderful  things  were  transpiring. 

The  Pharisees  and  doctors  of  the  law  had  come  to 
Capernaum  to  look  into  the  reports  that  were  spread 


60  "  TO  THE  WORK  ! '' 

abroad.  The  house  where  they  were  gathered  was 
filled  to  overflowing,  and  these  wise  men  were  listening 
to  the  Savior's  teaching.  Many  of  them  hardly  believed  a 
word  that  He  said.  It  may  be  there  were  some  believ- 
ing ones  among  these  wise  men.  Nicodemus  and  Jo- 
seph of  Arimathea  may  have  been  there:  if  so,  they 
were  not  yet  known  as  disciples  of  Jesus. 

The  writer  of  the  Gospel  says:  "The  power  of  the 
Lord  was  present  to  heal  them."  We  are  not  told^ 
however,  that  one  of  them  was  healed.  So  it  is  very 
often  now.  The  power  of  the  Lord  may  be  present  to 
heal  in  these  gatherings ;  yet  many  will  come  and  go, 
wondering  what  it  all  means,  and  without  being  healed 
of  their  spiritual  diseases.  What  we  need  is  to  have 
the  power  of  God  in  our  midst. 

A  man  came  into  one  of  our  meetings  in  London. 
He  got  into  a  part  of  the  hall  where  he  could  not  hear 
a  word  of  what  was  spoken  or  sung ;  he  could  not  even 
hear  the  text  or  the  portion  of  Scripture  that  was  read. 
There  he  had  to  sit  through  the  service,  so  to  speak, 
shut  up  alone  with  himself.  A  little  while  after  he  told 
some  one  that  as  he  sat  there  God  had  revealed  Himself 
to  him,  and  spoken  peace  to  his  soul.  There  is  such 
a  thing  as  the  power  of  God  being  present  to  heal, 
though  men  may  not  hear  the  voice  of  their  fellow- 
man. 

These  four  men  were  real  workers.  They  were 
worth  more  than  a  houseful  of  these  Pharisees  and 
doctors  of  the  law  who  came  merely  to  criticise  and 
look  on.  I  do  not  know  who  the  four  men  were,  but  I 
have  always  had  a  great  admiration  for  them.  It  may 
be  one  of  them  had  been  blind  and  the  Lord  had  given 


FAITH  REWARDED'  61 

him  his  sight.  The  other  may  have  been  lame  from 
his  birth ;  when  the  Master  restored  him  to  strength, 
he  thought  he  would  like  to  use  it  in  bringing  some 
one  else  to  be  healed.  The  third  man  may  have  been 
a  cured  leper,  and  he  wished  to  help  in  getting  some 
other  afflicted  one  cured.  Perhaps  this  palsied  man 
was  his  next-door  neighbor.  The  fourth  man,  it  may 
be,  had  been  deaf  and  dumb,  and  he  thought  he  would 
employ  his  hearing  and  his  speech  in  helping  some  one 
else.  These  four  young  converts  said  to  themselves: 
"Let  us  bring  our  sick  neighbor  to  Christ."  The  pal- 
sied man  may  have  said  he  had  no  faith  in  Christ.  But 
these  four  friends  told  him  how  they  had  been  cured, 
and  if  the  Master  could  heal  them  surely  He  could 
heal  a  palsied  man. 

Now  it  seems  to  me  nothing  will  wake  up  a  man 
quicker  than  to  have  four  persons  after  him  in  one  day. 
People  are  sometimes  afraid  that  they  will  entrench  on 
each  other's  ground  if  more  than  one  worker  happens 
to  call  at  the  same  house.  For  my  part,  I  wish  that 
every  family  had  about  forty  invitations  to  each  meeting. 

I  lately  heard  of  a  man,  a  non-churchgoer,  who  did 
not  believe  in  the  Bible  or  religious  things.  Some  one 
who  was  distributing  tickets  asked  him  if  he  would  go 
to  the  meetings.  He  got  quite  angry.  No,  he  Avould 
not  go ;  he  did  not  believe  in  the  thing  at  all ;  he  would 
not  be  seen  in  such  a  crowd.  A  second  man  came  along, 
not  knowing  that  any  one  had  been  before  him,  and 
asked  if  he  would  accept  a  ticket  for  the  meetings. 
The  man  was  still  angry,  and,  as  we  would  sometimes 
say,  he  "  gave  him  a  piece  of  his  mind."  He  told  him 
to  keep  his  tickets.     By-and-by  a  third  man  called  and 


62  "  TO  THE  WORK  /" 

said:  "Would  you  take  a  ticket  for  these  meetings?" 
The  man  by  this  time  had  got  thoroughly  waked  up,  bat 
yet  he  declined  to  receive  the  ticket.  He  went  into  a 
shop  to  buy  something.  The  man  in  the  shop  put  a 
ticket  for  the  meetings  into  the  packet ;  when  the  custo- 
mer got  home  and  opened  it,  lo  and  and  behold  there 
was  a  ticket  !  He  got  so  roused  up  that  he  went,  not 
to  our  meeting,  but  to  a  neighboring  church.  I  do  not 
know  that  he  has  come  clean  out,  but  I  believe  he  is,  at 
any  rate,  in  a  hopeful  condition. 

If  one  visit  does  not  wake  up  a  man  whom  you  want 
to  reach,  send  a  second  visitor  after  him;  if  that  has  no 
effect,  send  a  third,  and  a  fourth,  and  a  fifth,  and  'B 
sixth,  and  a  seventh ;  go  on  in  that  way  day  after  day.  It 
is  a  great  thing  to  save  one  man,  to  get  him  out  of  the 
pit,  to  have  his  feet  set  fast  on  a  rock,  and  a  new  song 
put  in  his  mouth.  Nothing  will  rouse  an  indifferent 
man  quicker  than  to  have  a  number  of  friends  after 
him.  If  you  cannot  bring  him  yourself,  get  others  to 
help  you. 

These  four  men  found  an  obstacle  in  the  way.  The 
door  of  the  house  was  blocked,  and  they  could  not  get 
near  the  Master.  They  may  have  asked  some  of  these 
philosophers  to  stand  aside;  but  no,  they  would  not  do 
that.  They  would  not  disturb  themselves  about  a  sick 
man.  Many  people  will  not  go  into  the  kingdom  of 
God  themselves,  and  they  will  throw  obstacles  in  the 
way  of  others.  After  trying  probably  for  some  time  to 
get  in,  these  four  men  began  to  devise  another  plan. 
If  it  had  been  some  of  us,  most  likely  we  would  have 
got  quite  discouraged,  and  carried  the  man  back  to  his 
home. 


FAITH  REWARDED.  63 

These  men  had  faith,  and  perseverance  too.  They 
are  going  to  get  their  friend  to  Christ  some  way.  If 
they  cannot  get  him  through  the  door,  they  will  find  a 
way  through  the  roof!  "Zeal  without  knowledge," 
people  say.  I  would  a  good  deal  rather  have  that  than 
knowledge  without  zeal.  You  can  see  them  pulling 
and  tugging  away  at  the  burden.  If  you  have  ever 
tried  to  carry  a  wounded  man  up  a  flight  of  stairs  you 
will  know  it  is  not  an  easy  matter.  But  these  four  men 
were  not  to  be  defeated,  and  at  last  he  is  up  there  on 
the  roof. 

Now,  the  question  was,  "How  can  we  get  him 
down  ?"  They  began  to  tear  up  the  tiling.  I  can  see 
those  wise  men  looking  up  and  saying  to  one  another: 
"This  is  a  strange  performance;  we  have  never  seen 
anything  like  this  in  the  temple  or  in  any  synagogue 
we  were  ever  in.  It  is  altogether  out  of  the  regular 
order.  These  men  must  be  carried  away  with  fanaticism. 
Why,  they  have  made  a  hole  large  enough  to  let  a  man 
through.  Suppose  a  sudden  shower  were  to  come,  it 
would  spoil  the  house." 

But  these  four  workers  were  terribly  in  earnest. 
They  let  the  bier,  on  which  the  man  was  lying,  down 
into  the  room.  They  laid  their  friend  right  at  the  feet 
of  Jesus  Christ;  a  good  place  to  lay  him,  was  it  not? 
Perhaps  some  of  you  have  a  sceptical  son  or  an  unbe- 
lieving husband,  or  some  other  member  of  your  fam- 
ily, that  scoffs  at  the  Bible  and  sneers  at  Christianity. 
Lay  them  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  He  will  honor  your 
faith. 

"  AVhen  He  saw  their  faith."  I  suppose  these  men 
were  looking  down  to  see  what  was  about  to  take  place. 


64  "  TO  THE  WORK  /  " 

Christ  looked  at  them,  and  when  He  saw  their  faith  He 
said  to  the  palsied  man  :  "  Son,  be  of  good  cheer;  thy 
sins  are  forgiven  thee."  That  was  more  than  they  ex- 
pected; they  only  thought  of  his  body  being  made 
whole.  So  let  ns  bring  onr  friends  to  Christ,  and  we 
shall  get  more  than  we  expect.  The  Lord  met  this 
man's  deepest  need  first.  It  may  be  his  sins  had 
brought  on  the  palsy,  so  the  Lord  forgave  the  man's 
sin  first  of  all. 

The  wise  men  began  to  reason  within  themselves  : 
"Who  is  this  that  forgiveth  sins?"  The  Master  could 
read  their  thoughts  as  easily  as  we  can  read  a  book. 
"Is  it  easier  to  say,  'Thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee,'  or 
'  Rise  up  and  walk  ?'  But  that  ye  may  know  that  the 
Son  of  Man  hath  power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins,  He 
said  unto  the  sick  of  the  palsy,  '  I  say  unto  thee,  arise ; 
take  up  thy  bed  and  go  into  thine  house.'  "  The  man 
leaped  to  his  feet,  made  whole.  He  rolled  up  the  old 
bed,  swung  it  across  his  shoulders,  and  went  to  his 
house.  Depend  upon  it  these  philosophers  who  would 
not  make  way  in  order  to  let  him  in  stood  aside  pretty 
quick  to  let  him  go  out.  No  need  for  him  to  go  out 
by  way  of  the  roof ;  he  went  out  by  the  door. 

Dear  friends,  let  us  have  faith  for  those  we  bring  to 
Christ.  Let  us  believe  for  them  if  they  will  not  believe 
for  themselves.  It  may  be  there  are  those  here  who  do 
not  believe  in  the  Bible,  or  in  the  Gospel  of  the  Son  of 
God.  Let  us  bring  them  to  Christ  in  the  arms  of  our 
faith.  He  is  unchangeable — "the  same  yesterday,  to- 
day, and  for  ever."  Let  us  look  for  great  things.  Let 
us  expect  the  dead  to  be  raised,  the  harlots  reclaimed, 
the  drunkards  saved,  and  the  devils  cast  out.    I  believe 


FAITH  REWARDED.  65 


men  are  possessed  of  evil  spirits  now,  just  as  much  as 
when  the  Son  of  God  was  on  earth.  AVe  Avant  to  brins" 
them  right  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  He  may  heal 
and  save  them.  Let  this  cursed  unbelief  be  swept  out 
of  the  way,  and  let  us  come  to  God  as  one  man,  looking 
for  and  expecting  signs  and  wonders  to  be  done  in  the 
name  of  Jesus.  He  can  perform  miracles  to-day,  and 
He  will  if  we  ask  Him  to  fulfill  His  promises.  "  He  is 
able  to  save  to  the  uttermost. 

And  let  me  say  to  any  unsaved  man  that  God  has 
the  power  to  save  you  from  your  sins  to-day.  If  you 
want  to  be  converted,  come  right  to  the  Master  as  did 
the  leper  of  old.  He  said,  "  Lord,  if  Thou  wilt  Thou 
canst  make  me  clean."  Christ  honored  his  faith,  and 
said,  "I  will;  be  thou  clean."  Notice — the  man  put 
"  if  "  in  the  right  place.  "  If  Thou  wiU:'  He  did  not 
doubt  the  power  of  the  Son  of  God.  The  father  who 
brought  his  son  to  Christ  said,  '-If  Thou  cansi^  have 
compassion  upon  him."  The  Lord  straightened  out 
his  theology  then  and  there;  "  If  iliou  canst  believe." 
Mother,  can  you  believe  for  your  boy?  If  you  can,  the 
Lord  will  speak  the  word,  and  it  shall  be  done. 

It  will  a  good  thing  for  us  to  get  right  doivn  at  the 
feet  of  the  Master,  like  the  poor  woman  who  went  to 
Elisha  and  told  him  of  her  dead  child.  He  asked  his 
servant  to  take  his  staff  and  lay  it  upon  the  dead  child. 
But  the  mother  would  not  leave  the  prophet.  He  wanted 
her  to  go  with  the  servant,  but  she  would  not  be  satis- 
fied with  the  prophet's  staff,  or  even  with  his  servant; 
she  wanted  the  master  himself.  So  Elisha  went  with 
her;  it  was  a  good  thing  he  did,  for  the  servant  could 

not  raise  the  child. 
6 


f56  "  TO  THE  WORK  !  " 

We  want  to  get  beyond  the  staff  and  beyond  the 
servant,  right  to  the  heart  of  the  Master  Himself.  Let 
US  bring  our  palsied  friends  to  Him.  It  is  said  of  Christ 
that  in  one  place  He  could  not  do  many  mighty  works 
there  because  of  their  unbelief.  Let  us  ask  Him  to 
take  away  from  us  this  cursed  unbelief,  that  hinders  the 
blessing  from  coming  down,  and  prevents  those  who 
are  sick  of  the  palsy  of  sin  from  being  saved. 

"  The  faith  that  works  by  love, 

And  purifies  the  heart, 
A  foretaste  of  the  joys  above 
To  mortals  can  impart; 
It  bears  us  through  this  earthly  strife. 
And  triumphs  in  immortal  hfe." 


ENTHUSIASM.  67 


CHAPTEE  V. 

ENTHUSIASM. 


"Awake  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from  the  dead, 
and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light."  I  want  to  apply 
these  words  to  the  children  of  God.  If  the  lost  are  to 
be  reached  by  the  Gospel  of  the  Son  of  God,  Chris- 
tianity must  be  more  aggressive  than  it  has  been  in 
the  past.  We  have  been  on  the  defensive  long  enough ; 
the  time  has  come  for  us  to  enter  on  a  war  of  aggres- 
sion. AVhen  we  as  children  of  God  wake  up  and  go  to 
work  in  the  vineyard,  then  those  who  are  living  in  wick- 
edness all  about  us  will  be  reached;  but  not  in  any 
other  way.  You  may  go  to  mass  meetings  and  discuss 
the  question  of  ''  How  to  reach  the  masses,"  but  when 
you  have  done  with  discussion  you  have  to  go  back  to 
personal  effort.  Every  man  and  woman  who  loves  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  must  wake  up  to  the  fact  that  he  or 
she  has  a  mission  in  the  world,  in  this  work  of  reaching 
the  lost. 

A  man  may  talk  in  his  sleep,  and  it  seems  to  me  that 
there  is  a  good  deal  of  that  kind  of  thing  now  in  the 
Lord's  work.  A  man  may  even  preach  in  his  sleep.  A 
friend  of  mine  sat  up  in  his  bed  one  night  and  preached 
a  sermon  right  through.  He  was  sound  asleep  all  the 
time.     Next  morning  his  wife  told  him  all  about  it.    He 


68  "  TO  THE  WORK  !  " 

preached  tlie  same  sermon  in  his  church  the  next  Sabbath 
morning;  I  have  it  in  print,  and  a  good  sermon  it  is. 
So  a  man  may  not  only  talk  but  actually  preach  in  his 
sleep.  There  are  many  preachers  in  these  days  who  are 
fast  asleep. 

There  is  one  thing,  however,  that  we  must  remember ; 
a  man  cannot  ivoi'k  in  his  sleep.  There  is  no  better 
way  to  wake  up  a  Church  than  to  set  it  to  work.  One 
man  will  wake  up  another  in  waking  himself  up.  Of 
course  the  moment  we  begin  a  work  of  aggression,  and 
declare  war  with  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil, 
some  wise  head  will  begin  to  shake,  and  there  will  be 
the  cry,  "Zeal  without  knowledge!"  I  think  I  have 
heard  that  objection  ever  since  I  commenced  the  Chris- 
tian life.  I  heard  of  some  one  who  was  speaking  the 
other  day  of  something  that  was  to  be  done,  and  who 
said  he  hoped  zeal  would  be  tempered  with  moderation. 
Another  friend  very  wisely  replied  that  he  hoped  mod- 
eration would  be  tempered  with  zeal.  If  that  were  al- 
ways the  the  case,  Christianity  would  be  like  a  red  hot 
ball  rolling  over  the  face  of  the  earth.  There  is  no 
power  on  earth  that  can  stand  before  the  onward  march 
of  God's  people  when  they  are  in  dead  earnest. 

In  all  ages  God  has  used  those  who  were  in  earnest. 
Satan  always  calls  idle  men  into  his  service.  God  calls 
active  and  earnest — not  indolent  men.  When  we  are 
thoroughly  aroused  and  ready  for  His  work,  then  He 
will  take  us  up  and  use  us.  You  remember  where  Eli- 
jah found  Elisha ;  he  was  ploughing  in  the  field — he  was 
at  work.  Gideon  was  at  the  threshing  floor.  Moses 
was  away  in  Horeb  looking  after  the  sheep.  None  of 
these  eminent  servants  of  God  were  indolent  men ;  what 


ENTHUSIASM.  69 


they  did,  they  did  with  all  their  might.  We  want  such 
men  and  women  nowadays.  If  we  cannot  do  God's  work 
with  all  the  knowledge  we  would  like,  let  us  at  any  rate 
do  it  with  all  the  zeal  that  God  has  given  us. 

Mr.  Taylor  says:  "  The  zeal  of  the  Apostles  was  seen 
in  this — they  preached  publicly  and  privately;  they 
prayed  for  all  men ;  they  wept  to  God  for  the  hardness 
of  men's  hearts;  they  became  all  things  to  all  men,  that 
they  might  gain  some ;  they  traveled  through  deeps  and 
deserts;  they  endured  the  heat  of  the  Syrian  sun  and 
the  violence  of  Euroclydon,  winds  and  tempests,  seas 
and  prisons,  mockings  and  scourgings,  fastings  and 
poverty,  labor  and  watching;  they  endured  of  every  man 
and  wronged  no  man ;  they  would  do  any  good,  and  suf- 
fer any  evil,  if  they  could  but  hope  to  prevail  upon  a 
soul ;  they  persuaded  men  meekly,  they  entreated  them 
humbly,  they  convinced  them  powerfully ;  they  watched 
for  their  good,  but  meddled  not  with  their  interest ;  and 
this  is  the  Christian  zeal — the  zeal  of  meekness,^  the  zeal  • 
of  charity,  the  zeal  of  patience." 

A  good  many  people  are  afraid  of  the  word  Enthu- 
siasm. Do  you  know  what  the  word  means  ?  It  means 
"In  God."  The  person  who  is  "in  God"  will  surely 
be  fired  with  enthusiasm.  When  a  man  goes  into  busi- 
ness filled  with  fire  and  zeal,  he  will  generally  carry  all 
before  him.  In  the  army  a  general  who  is  full  of  en- 
thusiasm will  fire  up  his  men,  and  will  accomplish  a 
great  deal  more  than  one  who  is  not  stirred  with  the 
same  spirit.  People  say  that  if  we  go  on  in  that  way 
many  mistakes  will  be  made.  Probably  there  will. 
You  never  saw  any  boy  learning  a  trade  who  did  not 
make  a  good  many  mistakes.     If  you  do  not  go  to  work 


70  "  TO  THE  WORK  /" 

because  you  are  afraid  of  making  mistakes,  you  will 
probably  make  one  great  mistake — the  greatest  mistake 
of  your  life — that  of  doing  nothing.  If  we  all  do  what 
we  can,  then  a  good  deal  will  be  accomplished. 

How  often  do  we  find  Sabbath-school  teachers  going 
into  their  work  without  any  enthusiasm.  I  had  just  as 
soon  have  a  lot  of  wooden  teachers  as  some  that  I  have 
known.  If  I  were  a  carpenter  I  could  manufacture  any 
quantity  of  them.  Take  one  of  those  teachers  who 
has  no  heart,  no  fire,  and  no  enthusiasm.  He  comes 
into  the  school-room  perhaps  a  few  minutes  after  the 
appointed  time.  He  sits  down,  without  speaking  a 
word  to  any  of  the  scholars,  until  the  time  comes  for  the 
lessons  to  begin.  When  the  Superintendent  says  it  is 
time  to  begin  the  teacher  brings  out  a  Question  Book. 
He  has  not  been  at  the  trouble  to  look  up  the  subject 
himself,  so  he  gets  what  some  one  else  has  written 
about  it.  He  takes  care  not  only  to  get  a  Question 
Book,  but  an  Answer  Book. 

Such  a  teacher  will  take  up  the  first  book  and  he 
says:  "John,  who  was  the  first  man?"  (looking  at  the 
book)  — "  Yes,  that  is  the  right  question."  John  replies, 
"Adam."  Looking  at  the  Answer  Book  the  teacher 
says:  "Yes,  that  is  right."  He  looks  again  at  the 
Question  Book  and  he  says:  "  Charles,  who  was  Lot?" 
"Abraham's  nephew."  "Yes,  my  boy,  that  is  right." 
And  so  he  goes  on.  You  may  say  that  this  is  an 
exaggerated  description,  and  of  course  I  do  not  mean 
to  say  it  is  literally  true ;  but  the  picture  is  not  so  much 
overdrawn  as  you  would  suppose.  Do  you  think  a  class 
of  little  boys  full  of  life  and  fire  is  going  to  be  reached 
in  that  way  ?  ' 


JENTHUSIASM.  71 


I  like  to  see  a  teacher  come  into  the  class  and  shake 
hands  with  the  scholars  all  round.  "  Johnnie,  how  do 
you  do?  Charlie,  I  am  glad  to  see  you  !  How's  the 
baby?  How's  your  mother?  How  are  all  the  folks  at 
home  ? "  That  is  the  kind  of  a  teacher  I  like  to  see. 
When  he  begins  to  open  up  the  lesson  all  the  scholars 
are  interested  in  what  he  is  going  to  say.  He  will  be 
able  to  gain  the  attention  of  the  whole  class,  and  to 
train  them  for  God  and  for  eternity.  You  cannot  find 
me  a  person  in  the  world  who  has  been  greatly  used  of 
God,  who  has  not  been  full  of  enthusiasm.  When  we  en- 
ter on  the  work  in  this  spirit  it  will  begin  to  prosper, 
and  God  will  give  us  success. 

As  I  was  leaving  New  York  to  go  to  England  in 
1867,  a  friend  said  to  me:  "  I  hope  you  will  go  to 
Edinburgh  and  be  at  the  General  Assembly  this  year. 
When  I  was  there  a  year  ago  I  heard  such  a  speech  as 
I  shall  never  forget.  Dr.  Duff  made  a  speech  that  set 
me  all  on  fire.  I  shall  never  forget  the  hour  I  spent 
in  that  meeting."  Shortly  after  reaching  England 
I  went  to  Edinburgh  and  spent  a  week  there,  in  hopes 
that  I  might  hear  that  one  man  speak.  I  went  to  work 
to  find  the  report  of  the  speech  that  my  friend  had  re- 
ferred to,  and  it  stirred  me  wonderfully.  Dr.  Duff  had 
been  out  in  India  as  a  missionary.  He  had  spent 
twenty-five  years  there  preaching  the  Gospel  and  estab- 
lishing: schools.  He  came  back  with  a  broken-down 
constitution.  He  was  permitted  to  address  the  General 
Assembly,  in  order  to  make  an  appeal  for  men  to  go 
into  the  mission  field.  After  he  had  spoken  for  a  con- 
siderable time,  he  became  exhausted  and  fainted  away. 
They  carried  him  out  of  the  hall  into  another  room. 


72  "  TO  THE  WOBK  I " 

The  doctors  worked  over  him  for  some  time,  and  at 
last  he  "began  to  recover.  When  he  realized  where  he 
was,  he  roused  himself  and  said  :  "I  did  not  finish 
my  speech;  carry  me  back  and  let  me  finish  it."  They 
told  him  he  could  only  do  it  at  the  peril  of  his  life. 
Said  he  :  "I  will  do  it  if  I  die."  So  they  took  him 
back  to  the  hall.  My  friend  said  it  was  one  of  the  most 
solemn  scenes  he  ever  witnessed  in  his  life. 

They  brought  the  white-haired  man  into  the*  Assem- 
bly Hall,  and  as  he  appeared  at  the  door  every  person 
sprang  to  his  feet;  the  tears  flowed  freely  as  they  looked 
upon  the  grand  old  veteran.  With  a  trembling  voice, 
he  said  :  "  Fathers  and  mothers  of  Scotland,  is  it  true 
that  you  have  no  more  sons  to  send  to  India  to  work  for 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ?  The  call  for  help  is  growing 
louder  and  louder,  but  there  are  few  coming  forward  to 
answer  it.  You  have  the  money  put  away  in  the  bank, 
but  where  are  the  laborers  who  shall  go  into  the  field? 
When  Queen  Victoria  wants  men  to  volunteer  for 
her  army  in  India,  you  freely  give  your  sons.  You  do 
not  talk  about  their  losing  their  health,  and  about  the 
trying  climate.  But  when  the  Lord  Jesus  is  calling 
for  laborers,  Scotland  is  saying :  '  We  have  no  more  sons 
to  give.'  " 

Turning  to  the  President  of  the  Assembly,  he.  said  : 
"  Mr.  Moderator,  if  it  is  true  that  Scotland  has  no  more 
sons  to  give  to  the  service  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in 
India ;  although  I  have  lost  my  health  in  that  land,  if 
there  are  none  who  will  go  and  tell  those  heathen  of 
Christ,  then  I  will  be  ofl*  to-morrow,  to  let  them  know 
that  there  is  one  old  Scotchman  who  is  ready  to  die  for 
them.     I  will  go  back  to  the  shores  of  the  Ganges,  and 


ENTHUSIASM.  73 


there  lay  down  my  life  as   a  witness  for  the  Son  of 
God." 

Thank  God  for  such  a  man  as  that  !  We  want  men 
to-day  who  are  willing,  if  need  be,  to  lay  down  their 
lives  for  the  Son  of  God.  Then  we  shall  be  able  to 
make  an  impression  upon  the  world.  When  they  see 
that  we  are  in  earnest,  their  hearts  will  be  touched,  and 
we  shall  be  able  to  lead  them  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

I  did  not  agree  with  Garibaldi's  judgement  in  all 
things,  but  I  must  confess  I  did  admire  his  enthusi- 
asm. I  never  saw  his  name  in  the  papers,  or  in  a  book, 
but  I  read  all  I  could  find  about  him.  There  was  some- 
thing about  him  that  fired  me  up.  I  remember  read- 
ing of  the  time  when  he  was  on  the  way  to  Bome  in 
1807,  and  when  he  was  cast  into  prison.  I  read  the 
letter  he  sent  to  his  comrades  :  "If  fifty  Garibaldis 
are  thrown  into  prison,  let  Eome  be  free  !  "  He  did 
not  care  for  his  own  comfort,  so  long  as  the  cause  of 
freedom  in  Italy  was  advanced.  If  we  have  such  a 
love  for  our  Master  and  His  cause  that  we  are  ready  to 
go  out  and  do  His  work  whatever  it  may  cost  us  person- 
ally, depend  upon  it  the  Lord  will  use  us  in  building 
up  His  kingdom. 

I  have  read  of  a  man  in  the  ninth  century  who  came 
up  against  a  king.  The  king  had  a  force  of  thirty 
thousand  men,  and  when  he  heard  that  this  general  had 
only  five  hundred  men,  he  sent  him  a  message  that  if 
he  would  surrender  he  would  treat  him  and  his  follow- 
ers mercifully.  Turning  to  one  of  his  followers,  the 
man  said  :  "  Take  that  dagger  and  drive  it  to  your 
heart."  The  man  at  once  pressed  the  weapon  to  his 
bosom,    and  fell  dead  at  the  feet  of  his  commander. 


74  "  TO  THE  WORK  /'* 

Turning  to  another,  lie  said  :  "Leap  into  yonder 
chasm."  Into  the  jaws  of  death  the  man  went  ;  they 
saw  him  dashed  to  pieces  at  the  bottom.  Then  turning 
to  the  king's  messenger,  the  man  said:  "Go  back  to 
your  king,  and  tell  him  that  I  have  five  hundred  such 
men.  Tell  him  that  we  may  die  but  we  never  surren- 
der. Tell  him  that  I  will  have  him  chained  with  my 
dogs  within  forty-eight  hours,."  When  the  king  heard 
that  he  had  such  men  arrayed  against  him,  it  struck 
terror  to  his  heart.  His  forces  were  so  demoralized  that 
they  were  scattered  like  chaff  before  the  wind.  Within 
forty-eight  hours  the  king  was  taken  captive  and  chained 
with  the  dogs  of  his  conqueror.  When  the  people  see 
that  we  are  in  earnest  in  all  that  we  undertake  for  God, 
they  will  begin  to  tremble;  men  and  women  will  be  en- 
quiring the  way  to  Zion. 

A  fearful  storm  was  raging,  when  the  cry  was  heard, 
"  Man  overboard!  "  A  human  form  was  seen  manfully 
breasting  the  furious  elements  in  the  direction  of  the 
shore ;  but  the  raging  waives  bore  the  struggler  rapidly 
outward,  and,  ere  the  boats  could  be  lowered,  a  fearful 
space  separated  the  victim  from  help.  Above  the  shriek 
of  the  storm  and  roar  of  the  waters  rose  his  rending 
cry.  It  was  an  agonizing  moment.  With  bated  breath 
and  blanched  cheek,  every  eye  was  strained  to  the 
struggling  man.  Manfully  did  the  brave  rowers  strain 
every  nerve  in  that  race  of  mercy ;  but  all  their  efforts 
were  in  vain.  One  wild  shriek  of  despair,  and  the  vic- 
tim went  down.  A  piercing  cry,  "  Save  him,  save 
him  !  "  rang  through  the  hushed  crowd;  and  into  their 
midst  darted  an  agitated  man,  throwing  his  arms  wildly 
in  the  air,  shouting,   "  A  thousand  pounds  for  the  man 


ENTHUSIASM.  75 


who  saves  his  life  !  "  but  his  starting  eye  rested  only  on 
the  spot  where  the  waves  rolled  remorselessly  over  the 
perished.  He  whose  strong  cry  broke  the  stillness  of  the 
crowd  was  Captain  of  the  ship  from  whence  the  drowned 
man  fell,  and  was  his  brother.  This  is  the  feeling  we 
want  to  have  in  the  various  ranks  of  those  bearinsr 
commission  under  the  great  Captain  of  our  salvation. 
"  Save  him  !  he  is  my  brother." 

The  fact  is,  men  do  not  believe  in  Christianity  be- 
cause they  think  we  are  not  in  earnest  about  it.  In  this 
same  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians  the  Apostle  says  we  are 
to  be  "  living  epistles  of  Christ,  known  and  read  of  all 
men."  I  never  knew  a  time  when  Christian  people 
were  ready  to  go  forth  and  put  in  the  sickle,  but  there 
was  a  great  harvest.  Wherever  you  put  in  the  sickle 
you  will  find  the  fields  white.  The  trouble  is  there  are 
so  few  to  reap. 

God  wants  men  and  women:  that  is  somethinof  far 
better  than  institutions.  If  a  man  or  a  woman  be  really 
in  earnest,  they  will  not  wait  to  be  put  on  some  com- 
mittee. If  I  saw  a  man  fall  into  the  river,  and  he  was 
in  danger  of  drowning,  I  would  not  wait  until  I  was 
placed  on  some  committee  before  I  tried  to  save  him. 
Many  people  say  they  cannot  work  because  they  have 
not  been  formally  appointed.  They  say:  "It  is  not  my 
parish."  I  asked  a  person  one  day,  during  our  last 
visit  to  London,  if  he  would  go  and  work  in  the  inquiry 
room.  The  reply  was:  "I  do  not  belong  to  this  part  of 
London."  Let  us  look  on  the  whole  world  as  our 
parish,  as  a  groat  harvest  field.  If  God  puts  any  one 
within  our  influence,  let  us  tell  them  of  Christ  and 
heaven.     The  world  may  rise  up  and  say  that  we  are 


76  ''TO  THE  WORK!'' 

mad.  In  my  opinion  no  one  is  fit  for  God's  service 
until  he  is  willing  to  be  considered  mad  by  the  world. 
They  said  Paul  was  mad.  I  wish  we  had  many  more 
who  were  bitten  with  the  same  kind  of  madness.  As 
some  one  has  said:  "If  we  are  mad,  we  have  a  good 
Keeper  on  the  way  and  a  good  Asylum  at  the  end  of 
the  road." 

One  great  trouble  is  that  people  come  to  special 
revival  meetings,  and  for  two  or  three  weeks,  perhaps, 
they  will  keep  up  the  fire,  but  by  and  by  it  dies  out. 
They  are  like  a  bundle  of  shavings  with  kerosene  on 
the  top — they  blaze  away  for  a  little,  but  soon  there  is 
nothing  left.  We  want  to  keep  it  all  the  time,  morning, 
noon  and  night.  I  heard  of  a  well  once  that  was  said 
to  be  very  good,  except  that  it  had  two  faults.  It  'would 
freeze  up  in  the  winter,  and  it  ivould  dry  up  in  the 
summer.  A  most  extraordinary  well,  but  I  am  afraid 
there  are  many  wells  like  it.  There  are  many  people 
who  are  good  at  certain  times ;  as  some  one  has  expressed 
it,  they  seem  to  be  good  "in  spots."  What  we  want  is 
to  be  red  hot  all  the  time.  Do  not  wait  till  some  one 
hunts  you  up.  People  talk  about  striking  while  the 
iron  is  hot.  I  believe  it  was  Cromwell  who  said  that  he 
would  rather  strike  the  iron  and  make  it  hot.  So  let 
us  keep  at  our  post,  and  we  will  soon  grow  warm  in  the 
Lord's  work. 

Let  me  say  a  few  words  specially  to  Sabbath-school 
teachers.  Let  me  urge  upon  you  not  to  be  satisfied 
with  merely  pointing  the  children  away  to  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  There  are  so  many  teachers  who  go  on 
sowing  the  seed,  and  who  think  they  will  reap  the 
harvest  by  and  by ;  but  they  do  not  look  for  the  harvest 


ENTHUSIASM.  77 


now.  I  began  to  work  in  that  way,  and  it  was  years 
before  I  saw  any  conversions.  I  believe  God's  method 
is  that  we  should  sow  with  one  hand  and  reap  with  the 
other.  The  two  should  go  on  side  by  side.  The  idea 
that  children  must  grow  into  manhood  and  Avomanhood 
before  they  can  be  brought  to  Jesus  Christ  is  a  false 
one.  They  can  be  led  to  Christ  now  in  the  days  of 
their  youth,  and  they  can  be  kept,  so  that  they  may 
become  useful  members  of  society,  and  be  a  blessing  to 
their  parents,  to  the  Church  of  God,  and  to  the  world. 
If  they  are  allowed  to  grow  up  to  manhood  and  woman- 
hood before  they  are  led  to  Christ,  many  of  them  will 
be  dragged  into  the  dens  of  vice ;  and  instead  of  being 
a  blessing  they  will  be  a  curse  to  society. 

What  is  the  trouble  throughout  Christendom  to-day, 
in  connection  with  the  Sabbath-school  ?  It  is  that  so 
many  when  they  grow  up  to  the  age  of  sixteen  or  so,  drop 
through  the  Sabbath-school  net,  and  that  is  the  last  we 
see  of  them.  There  are  many  young  men  now  in  our 
prisons  who  have  been  Sabbath  scholars.  The  cause  of 
that  is,  that  so  few  teachers  believe  the  children  can  be 
converted  when  they  are  young.  They  do  not  labor 
to  bring  them  to  a  knowledge  of  Christ,  but  are  content 
to  go  on  sowing  the  seed.  Let  a  teacher  resolve  that, 
God  helping  him,  he  will  not  rest  until  he  sees  his  whole 
class  brought  into  the  kingdom  of  God;  if  he  thus 
resolves  he  will  see  signs  and  wonders  inside  of  thirty 
days. 

I  well  remember  how  I  got  waked  up  on  this  point.  I 
had  a  large  Sunday-school  with  a  thousand  children.  I 
was  very  much  pleased  with  the  numbers.  If  they 
only  kept  up  or  exceeded  that  number  I  was  delighted ; 


78  ''TO  THE  WORK!'' 

if  the  attendance  fell  below  a  thousand  I  was  very 
much  troubled.  I  was  all  the  time  aiming  simply  at 
numbers.  There  was  one  class  held  in  a  corner  of  the 
large  hall.  It  was  made  up  of  young  women,  and  it 
was  more  trouble  than  any  other  in  the  school.  There 
was  but  one  man  who  could  ever  manage  it  and  keep  it 
in  order.  If  he  could  manage  to  keep  the  class  quiet  I 
thought  it  was  about  as  much  as  we  could  hope  for. 
The  idea  of  any  of  them  being  converted  never  entered 
my  mind. 

One  Sabbath  this  teacher  was  missing,  and  it  was 
with  difficulty  that  his  substitute  could  keep  order  in 
the  class.  During  the  Aveek  the  teacher  came  to  my 
place  of  business.  I  noticed  that  he  looked  very  pale, 
and  I  asked  what  was  the  trouble.  "I  have  been 
bleeding  at  the  lungs,"  he  said,  "  and  the  docter  tells 
me  I  cannot  live.  I  must  give  up  my  class  and  go  back 
to  my  widowed  mother  in  New  York  State."  He  fully 
believed  he  was  going  home  to  die.  As  he  spoke  to 
me  his  chin  quivered,  and  the  tears  began  to  flow.  I 
noticed  this  and  said:  "  You  are  not  afraid  of  death,  are 
you?"  "Oh,  no,  I  am  not  afraid  to  die,  but  I  will 
meet  God,  and  not  one  of  my  Sabbath-school  scholars 
is  converted.  What  shall  I  say?"  Ah,  how  different 
things  looked  when  he  felt  he  was  going  to  render  an 
account  of  his  stewardship. 

I  was  speechless.  It  Avas  something  new  to  me  to 
hear  any  one  speak  in  that  Avay.  I  said:  "  Suppose  we 
go  and  see  the  scholars  and  tell  them  about  Christ." 
"I  am  very  weak,"  he  said,  "too  weak  to  Avalk."  I 
said  I  would  take  him  in  a  carriage.  We  took  a  car- 
riage and  went  round  to  the  residence  of  every  scholar. 


ENTHUSIASM.  79 


He  would  just  be  able  to  stagger  across  tlie  sidewalk, 
sometimes  leaning  on  my  arm.  Calling  tlie  young  lady 
by  name,  lie  would  pray  Avitli  her  and  plead  with  her  to 
come  to  Christ.  It  was  a  new  experience  for  me.  I  got  a 
new  view  of  things.  After  he  had  used  up  all  his  strength 
I  would  take  him  home.  Next  day  he  would  start  again 
and  visit  others  in  the  class.  Sometimes  he  would  go 
alone,  and  sometimes  I  would  go  with  him.  At  the  end 
of  ten  days  he  came  to  my  place  of  business,  his  face 
beaming  with  joy,  and  said:  "The  last  one  has  yielded 
her  heart  to  Christ.  I  am  going  home  now;  I  have 
done  all  I  can  do;  my  work  is  done." 

I  asked  when  he  was  going,  and  he  said:  "To-mor- 
row night."  I  said:  "  Suppose  I  ask  these  young 
friends  to  have  a  little  gathering,  to  meet  you  once 
more  before  you  go."  He  said  he  would  be  very  glad. 
I  sent  out  the  invitations  and  they  all  came  together. 
I  had  never  spent  such  a  night  up  to  that  time.  I  had 
never  met  such  a  large  number  of  young  converts,  led 
to  Christ  by  his  influence  and  mine.  We  prayed  for 
each  member  of  the  class,  for  the  Superintendent,  and 
for  the  teacher.  Every  one  of  them  prayed;  what  a 
change  had  come  over  them  in  a  short  space  of  time. 
We  tried  to  sing — but  we  did  not  get  on  very  well — 

"  Blest  be  the  tie  that  binds 
Our  hearts  in  Christian  love." 

We  all  bade  him  good-bye;  but  I  felt  as  if  I  must  go 
and  see  him  once  more.  Next  night,  before  the  train 
started,  I  went  to  the  station,  and  found  that,  without 
any  concert  of  action,  one  and  another  of  the  class  had 
come  to  bid  him  good-bye.  They  were  all  there  on  the 
platform.       A  few  gathered  around  us — the  fireman, 


80  "  TO  THE  WORK  ! 


engineer,  brakesman,  and  conductor  of  the  train,  with 
the  passengers.  It  was  a  beautiful  summer  night,  and 
the  sun  was  just  going  down  behind  the  western  prairies 
as  we  sang  together — 

"  Here  we  meet  to  part  again, 
But  when  we  meet  on  Canaan's  shore, 
There'll  be  no  parting  there." 

As  the  train  moved  out  of  the  station,  he  stood  on  the 
outside  platform,  and,  with  his  finger  pointing  heaven- 
ward, he  said:  "I  will  meet  you  yonder;"  then  he 
disappeared  from  our  view. 

What  a  work  was  accomplished  in  those  ten  days! 
Some  of  the  members  of  that  class  were  among  the 
most  active  Christians  we  had  in  the  school  for  years 
after.  Some  of  them  are  active  workers  to-day.  I  met 
one  of  them  at  work  away  out  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  a 
few  years  ago.  We  had  a  blessed  work  of  grace  in  the 
school  that  summer ;  it  took  me  out  of  my  business  and 
sent  me  into  the  Lord's  work.  If  it  had  not  been  for  the 
work  of  those  ten  days,  probably  I  should  not  have  been 
an  evangelist  to-day. 

Let  me  again  urge  on  Sunday-school  teachers  to  seek 
the  salvation  of  your  scholars.  Make  up  your  mind  that 
within  the  next  ten  days  you  will  do  all  you  can  to  lead 
your  class  to  Christ.  Fathers,  mothers,  let  there  be  no 
rest  till  you  see  all  your  family  brought  into  the  king- 
dom of  God.  Do  you  say  that  He  will  not  bless  such 
consecrated  effort?  What  we  want  to-day  is  the  spirit 
of  consecration  and  concentration.  May  God  pour  out 
His  Spirit  upon  us,  and  fill  us  with  a  holy  enthusiasm. 


THE  POWER  OF  LITTLE  THINGS.  81 


CHAPTEK  YI. 

THE  POWER  OF  LITTLE  THINGS. 


In  the  twenty-fifth  chapter  of  Exodus  we  read:  "  And 
the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses,  saymg:  "Speak  unto  the 
c]iildren  of  Israel,  that  they  bring  Me  an  offering:  of 
every  man  that  giveth  it  willingly  with  his  heart  ye 
shall  take  my  offering.  And  this  is  the  offering  which 
ye  shall  take  of  them:  gold,  and  silver,  and  brass,  and 
blue,  and  purple,  and  scarlet,  and  fine  linen,  and  goats' 
hair,  and  rams'  skins  dyed  red,  and  badgers'  skins,  and 
shittim  w^ood,  oil  for  the  light,  spices  for  anointing  oil 
and  for  sweet  incense,  onyx  stones,  and  stones  to  be  set 
in  the  ephod  and  in  the  breastplate.  And  let  them 
make  Me  a  sanctuary;  that  I  may  dwell  among  them. 
According  to  all  that  I  show  thee,  after  the  pattern  of 
the  tabernacle,  and  the  pattern  of  all  the  instruments 
thereof,  even  so  shall  ye  make  it." 

I  am  glad  this  has  been  recorded  for  our  instruction. 
How  it  ought  to  encourage  us  all  to  believe  that  we 
may  each  have  a  part  in  building  up  the  walls  of  the 
heavenly  Zion.  In  all  ages  God  has  delighted  to  use 
the  weak  things.  In  his  letter  to  the  Corinthians  Paul 
speaks  of  five  things  that  God  uses:  "  God  hath  chosen 
the  foolish  things  of  the  world  to  confound  the  wise ; 
and  God  ha^li  chosen  the  weak  things  of  the  world  to 
6 


82  "  TO  THE  WORK  !  " 

confound  the  things  which  are  mighty ;  and  base  things 
of  the  world,  and  things  which  are  despised,  hath  God 
chosen,  yea,  and  things  which  are  not,  to  bring  to 
nought  things  that  are,  that  no  flesh  should  glory  in  His 
presence." 

You  notice  there  are  five  things  mentioned  that  God 
uses — foolish  things,  weak  things,  base  things,  despised 
things,  and  things  which  are  not.  What  for?  "That 
no  flesh  should  glory  in  His  presence."  When  we  are 
weak  then  we  are  strong.  People  often  think  they  have 
not  strength  enough;  the  fact  is  we  have  too  much 
strength.  It  is  when  we  feel  that  we  have  no 
strength  of  our  own,  that  we  are  willing  God  should  use 
us,  and  work  through  us.  If  we  are  leaning  on  God's 
strength,  we  have  more  than  all  the  strength  of  the 
world. 

This  world  is  not  going  to  be  reached  by  mere  human 
intellectual  power.  When  we  realize  that  we  have  no 
strength,  then  all  the  fulness  of  God  will  flow  in  upon 
us.     Then  we  shall  have  power  with  God  and  with  man. 

In  Revelation  we  read  that  John  on  one  occasion 
wept  much  at  a  sight  he  beheld  in  heaven.  He  saw 
a  sealed  book;  and  no  one  was  found  that  could  break 
the  seal  and  open  the  book.  Abel,  that  holy  man  of 
God,  was  not  worthy  to  open  it.  Enoch,  who  had  been 
translated  to  heaven  without  tasting  death;  Elijah,  who 
had  gone  up  in  a  chariot  of  fire ;  even  Moses,  that  great 
law-giver ;  or  Isaiah,  or  any  of  the  prophets — none  was 
found  worthy  to  open  the  book.  As  he  saw  this  John 
wept  much.  As  he  wept  one  touched  him,  and  said: 
"  Weep  not; behold,  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judali,  the 
root  of  David,  hath  prevailed  to  open  the  Book,  and  to 


THE  POWER  OF  LITTLE  THINGS.  83 

loose  the  seven  seals  thereof."  When  he  looked  to  see 
who  was  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  whom  did  he 
see!  Lo,  the  Lion  was  a  Lamb!  God's  Lion  is  a 
Lamb!  When  we  are  like  lambs  God  can  use  us,  and 
we  are  strong  in  His  service.  We  can  all  be  weak  can 
we  not?     Then  let  us  lean  on  the  mighty  power  of  God. 

Notice  that  all  the  men  whom  Christ  called  around 
Him  were  weak  men  in  a  worldly  sense.  They  were 
all  men  without  rank,  without  title,  without  position, 
without  wealth  or  culture.  Nearly  all  of  them  were 
fishermen  and  unlettered  men;  yet  Christ  chose  them 
to  build  up  His  kingdom.  When  God  wanted  to  bring 
the  children  of  Israel  out  of  bondage.  He  did  not  send 
an  army ;  He  sent  one  solitary  man.  So  in  all  ages  God 
has  used  the  weak  things  of  the  world  to  accomplish 
His  purposes. 

I  read  an  incident  some  time  ago  that  illustrates  the 
power  of  a  simple  tract.  A  society  was  some  years  ago 
established  to  distribute  tracts  by  mail  in  the  higher 
circles.  One  of  these  tracts,  entitled,  "  Prepare  to  meet 
thy  God,"  was  enclosed  in  an  envelope,  and  sent  by 
post  to  a  gentleman  well  known  for  his  ungodly  life 
and  his  reckless  impiety.  He  was  in  his  study  when 
he  read  this  letter  among  others.  "What's  that,"  said 
he.  "  'Prepare  to  meet  thy  God.'  Who  has  had  the 
impudence  to  send  me  this  cant?"  And,  with  an  im- 
precation on  his  unknown  correspondent,  he  arose  to 
put  the  paper  in  the  fire. 

"No;  I  won't  do  that."  he  said  to  himself;  "On  sec- 
ond thoughts,  I  know  what  I  will  do.     I'll  send  it  to  my 

friend  B ;  it  will  be  a  good  joke  to  hear  what  he'll 

say  about  it."  So  saying,  he  enclosed  the  tract  in  a  fresh 


84  "  TO  THE  WORK  !  " 

envelope,  and,  in  a  feigned  hand,  directed  it  to  his  boon 
companion. 

Mr.  B was  a  man  of  his  own  stamp,  and  received 

the  tract,  as  his  friend  had  done,  with  an  oath  at  the 
Methodistical  liumbug,  which  his  first  impulse  was  to 
tear  in  pieces.  "  I'll  not  tear  it  either,"  said  he  to  him- 
self. "  Prepare  to  meet  thy  God"  at  once  arrested  his 
attention,  and  smote  his  conscience.  The  arrow  of  con- 
viction entered  his  heart  as  he  read,  and  he  was  con- 
verted. Almost  his  first  thonght  was  for  his  nngodly 
associates.  "  Have  I  received  such  blessed  light  and 
truth,  and  shall  I  not  strive  to  communicate  it  to  oth- 
ers ? "  He  again  folded  the  tract,  and  enclosed  and 
directed  it  to  one  of  his  companions  in  sin.  Wonder- 
ful to  say,  the  little  arrow  hit  the  mark.  His  friend 
read.  He  also  was  converted ;  and  both  are  now  walk- 
ing as  the  Lord's  redeemed  ones. 

In  Matthew  we  read:  "  For  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
is  as  a  man  travelling  into  a  far  country,  who  called  his 
own  servants,  and  delivered  unto  them  his  goods.  And 
unto  one  he  gave  five  talents,  to  another  two,  and  to 
another  one;  to  every  man  according  to  his  several 
ability ;  and  straightway  took  his  journey." 

Observe,  he  gave  to  every  man  "  according  to  his 
several  ability."  He  gave  to  each  servant  just  the 
niimber  of  talents  that  he  could  take  care  of  and  use. 
Some  people  complain  that  they  have  not  more  talents ; 
but  we  have  each  the  number  of  talents  that  we  can 
properly  employ.  If  we  take  good  care  of  what  we 
have,  God  will  give  us  more.  There  were  eight  talents 
to  be  distributed  among  three  persons ;  the  master  gave 
to  one  five;  to  a  second,  two;  and  to  another,  one.     The 


THE  POWER  OF  LITTLE  THINGS.  85 

man  went  away ;  and  the  servants  fully  understood  that 
he  expected  them  to  improve  their  talents  and  trade 
with  them.  God  is  not  unreasonable ;  He  does  not  ask 
us  to  do  what  we  cannot  do ;  but  He  gives  us  according 
to  our  several  ability,  .and  He  expects  us  to  use  the 
talents  we  have. 

We  read:  "He  that  had  received  the  five  talents 
went  and  traded  with  the  same,  and  made  them  other 
five  talents.  And  likewise  he  that  had  received  two,  he 
also  gained  other  two.  But  he  that  had  received  on 
went  and  digged  in  the  earth,  and  hid  his  lord's 
money."  Notice  that  the  man  who  had  the  two  talents 
got  exactly  the  same  commendation  as  the  man  who 
had  the  five.  The  one  who  got  five  doubled  them,  and 
his  lord  said  to  him:  "Well  done,  good  and  faithful 
servant."  The  one  who  had  two  also  doubled  them, 
and  so  had  four  talents;  to  him  also  the  lord  said: 
"  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant,  enter  thou  into 
the  joy  of  thy  lord." 

If  the  man  who  had  the  one  talent  had  traded  with  it, 
he  would  have  received  exactly  the  same  approval  as 
the  others.  But  what  did  he  do?  He  put  it  into  a 
napkin  and  buried  it.  He  thought  he  would  take  care 
of  it  in  that  way. 

After  the  lord  of  these  servants  had  been  gone  a 
long  while  he  returned  to  reckon  with  them.  AYhat 
does  he  find  in  the  case  of  the  third  servant  ?  He  has 
the  one  talent;  but  that  is  all. 

I  read  of  a  man  who  had  a  thousand  dollars.  He 
hid  it  away,  thinking  he  would  in  that  way  take  care  of 
it,  and  that  when  he  was  an  old  man  he  would  have 
something  to  fall  back  upon.    After  keeping  the  money 


86  "  TO  THE  WORK  !  " 

for  twenty  years  lie  took  it  to  a  bank  and  got  just  one 
thousand  dollars  for  it.  If  lie  had  put  it  at  interest,  in 
the  usual  way,  he  might  have  had  three  times  the  amount. 
He  made  the  mistake  that  a  great  many  people  are 
making  to-day  throughout  Christendom,  of  not  trading 
with  his  talents.  My  experience  has  been  as  I  have 
gone  about  in  the  world  and  mingled  with  professing 
ChristiaiiF,  that  those  who  find  most  fault  with  others 
are  those  who  themselves  have  nothing  to  do.  If  a 
person  is  busy  improving  the  talents  that  God  has 
given  him  he  will  have  too  much  to  do  to  find  fault 
and  complain  about  others. 

God  has  given  us  many  opportunities  of  serving 
Him,  and  He  expects  that  we  should  use  them.  People 
think  that  their  time  and  property  are  their  own.  What 
saying  is  more  frequent  than  this?  "I  have  a  right  to 
do  what  I  will  with  my  own." 

On  one  occasion  a  friend  was  beside  the  dying  bed 
of  a  military  man  who  had  held  an  important  command 
in  successful  Indian  wars.  He  asked  if  he  were  afraid 
to  die.     He  at  once  said:   "  I  am  not. 

"  Why?"     He  said:   "  I  have  never  done  any  harm." 

The  other  replied:  "If  you  were  going  to  be  tried 
by  a  court-martial  as  an  officer  and  a  gentleman,  I  sup- 
pose you  would  expect  an  honorable  acquittal  ?  "  The 
dying  old  man  lifted  himself  up,  and  with  an  energy 
which  his  illness  seemed  to  render  impossible,  exclaimed, 
•'That  I  should  !" 

"But  you  are  not  going  to  a  court-martial;  you  are 
going  to  Christ ;  and  when  Christ  asks  you,  'What  have 
you  done  for  me?  '  what  will  you  say?  "  His  counten- 
ance changed,  and  earnestly  gazing  on  his  friend,  with 


THE  POWER  OF  LITTLE  THINGS.  87 


agonized  feelings   he    answered:    ''Nothing! — I   have 
never  done  anijihing  for  Christ  !" 

His  friend  pointed  out  the  awful  mistake  of  habitu- 
ally living  in  the  sense  of  our  relations  one  with  another, 
and  forgetting  our  relation  to  Christ  and  to  God ;  there- 
fore the  error  of  supposing  that  doing  no  harm,  or  even 
doinof  afood  to  those  around,  will  serve  as  a  substitute 
for  living  to  God.  What  have  you  done  for  Christ?  is 
the  great  question. 

After  some  days,  he  called  again  on  the  old  man, 
who  said:  "Well,  sir,  what  do  you  think  now?"  He 
replied:  "Ah  !  I  am  a  poor  sinner."  He  pointed  him 
to  the  Savior  of  sinners;  and  not  long  afterward  he 
departed  this  life  as  a  repentant  sinner,  resting  in 
Christ.  What  an  awful  end  would  have  come  to  the 
false  peace  in  which  he  was  found  !  And  yet  it  is  the 
peace  of  the  multitudes,  only  to  be  undeceived  at  the 
judgment  seat  of  Christ. 

If  this  world  is  going  to  be  reached,  I  am  convinced 
it  must  be  done  by  men  and  women  of  average  talent. 
After  all  there  are  comparatively  few  people  in  the  world 
who  have  great  talents.  Here  is  a  man  with  one  talent; 
there  is  another  with  three ;  perhaps  I  may  have  only 
half  a  talent.  But  if  we  all  go  to  work  and  trade  with 
the  gifts  we  have  the  Lord  will  prosper  us ;  and  we  may 
double  or  treble  our  talents.  What  we  need  is  to  be  up 
and  about  our  Master's  work,  every  man  building 
ag^ainst  his  own  house.  The  more  we  use  the  means 
and  opportunities  we  have,  the  more  will  our  ability  and 
our  opportunities  be  increased. 

An  Eastern  allegory  runs  thus:  A  merchant,  going 
abroad  for  a  time,  gave  respectively  to  two  of  his  friends 


88  ''TO  THE  WORK  !'' 

two  sacks  of  wlieat  each,  to  take  care  of  against  his  re- 
turn. Years  passed;  he  came  back,  and  applied  for 
them  again.  The  first  took  him  into  a  storehouse,  and 
showed  them  his  sacks ;  but  they  were  mildewed  and 
worthless.  The  other  led  him  out  into  the  open  coun- 
try, and  pointed  to  field  after  field  of  waving  corn,  the 
produce  of  the  two  sacks  given  him.  Said  the  mer- 
chant: "You  have  been  a  faithful  friend.  Give  me 
two  sacks  of  that  wheat;  the  rest  shall  be  thine." 

I  heard  a  person  once  say  that  she  wanted  assurance. 
I  asked  how  long  she  had  been  a  Christian;  and  she 
replied  she  had  been  one  for  a  number  of  years.  I 
said:  "What  are  you  doing  for  Christ?"  "I  do  not 
know  that  I  have  the  opportunity  of  doing  anything," 
she  replied.  I  pity  the  person  who  professes  to  be  a 
Christian  in  this  day,  and  who  says  he  can  find  no 
opportunities  of  doing  any  work  for  Christ.  I  cannot 
imagine  where  his  lot  must  be  cast.  The  idea  of  any 
one  knowing  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  this  nineteenth 
century,  and  saying  he  has  no  opportunities  of  testifying 
for  Him.  Surely  no  one  need  look  far  to  find  plenty  of 
opportunities  for  speaking  and  working  for  the  Master, 
if  he  only  has  the  desire  to  do  it.  "Lift  up  your  eyes, 
and  look  on  the  fields ;  for  they  are  white  already  to 
harvest."  If  you  cannot  do  some  great  thing,  you  can 
do  some  little  thing. 

A  man  sent  me  a  tract  a  little  while  ago,  entitled, 
"  What  is  that  in  thine  hand  ?  "  and  I  am  very  thank- 
ful he  sent  it.  These  words  were  spoken  by  God  to 
Moses  when  He  called  him  to  go  down  to  Egypt,  and 
bring  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  the  house  of  bondage. 
You  remember  how  Moses  tried  to  excuse  himself.    He 


THE  POWER  OF  LITTLE  THINGS.  89 

said  lie  was  not  eloquent ;  lie  was  not  this  and  that ;  and 
he  could  not  go.  Like  Isaiah  he  wanted  the  Lord  to 
send  some  one  else.  At  last  the  Lord  said  to  Moses, 
"What  is  that  in  thine  hand?"  He  had  a  rod  in  his 
hand.  It  may  be  that  a  few  days  before  he  wanted 
something  to  drive  the  sheep  with,  and  he  may  have 
cut  this  wand  for  that  purpose.  He  could  probably 
have  got  a  hundred  better  rods  any  day.  Yet  with  that 
he  was  to  deliver  the  children  of  Israel.  God  was  to 
link  His  almighty  power  with  that  rod;  and  that  was 
enough. 

I  can  imagine  that  as  Moses  was  on  his  way  down  to 
Egypt  he  may  have  met  one  of  the  philosophers  or 
free-thinkers  of  his  day,  who  might  have  asked  him 
where  he  was  going.  "Down  to  Egypt."  "Indeed! 
are  you  going  down  there  again  to  live?"  "No,  I  am 
going  to  bring  my  people  out  of  the  house  of  bondage." 
"What!  you  are  going  to  deliver  them  from  the  hand 
of  Pharaoh,  the  mightiest  monarch  now  living?  You 
think  you  are  going  to  free  three  millions  of  slaves  from 
the  power  of  the  Egyptians?"      "Yes." 

"How  are  you  going  to  do  it?"      "With  this  rod." 

What  a  contemptible  thing  the  rod  must  have  been 
in  the  eyes  of  that  Egyptian  free-thinker;  the  idea  of 
delivering  three  millions  of  slaves  with  a  rod!  We  had 
three  millions  of  slaves  in  this  country,  and  before  they 
could  be  set  free  half  a  million  of  men  had  to  lay 
down  their  lives.  The  flower  of  the  nation  marched  to 
its  grave  before  our  slaves  gained  their  deliverance. 

Here  was  a  weak  and  solitary  man  going  down  to 
Egypt,  to  meet  a  monarch  who  had  the  power  of  life 
and  death.     And  all  he  had  with  which  to  deliver  the 


90  "  TO  THE  WORK  /*' 

people  from  bondage  was  this  rod !  Yet  see  how  famous 
that  rod  became.  When  Moses  wanted  to  bring  up  the 
plagues  on  the  people  he  had  only  to  stretch  out  his 
rod,  and  they  covered  the  land.  He  had  but  to  stretch 
it  out,  and  the  water  of  the  country  was  turned  into 
blood.  Then  when  the  people  came  to  the  Red  Sea  and 
they  wanted  to  go  across,  he  had  only  to  lift  up  the  rod 
and  the  waters  separated,  so  that  the  people  could  pass 
through  dry-shod.  AYlien  they  were  in  the  desert  and 
wanted  water  to  drink,  again  he  lifted  this  rod  and 
struck  the  flinty  rock,  when  the  water  burst  forth,  and 
they  drank  and  were  refreshed.  That  contemptible  rod 
became  mighty  indeed.  But  it  was  not  the  rod ;  it  was 
the  God  of  Moses,  who  condescended  to  use  it. 

Let  us  learn  a  lesson  from  this  history.  We  are 
required  to  use  what  we  have,  not  what  we  have  not. 
Whatever  gifts  or  talents  you  have,  take  and  lay 
them  at  the  Master's  feet.  Moses  took  what  he  had; 
and  we  see  how  much  he  accomplished.  If  we  are  ready 
to  say:  "  Here  am  I,  ready  and  willing  to  be  used,"  the 
Lord  will  use  us;  He  will  link  His  mighty  power  with 
our  weakness,  and  we  shall  be  able  to  do  great  things 
for  Him. 

Look  again,  and  see  Joshua  as  he  goes  up  to  the  walls 
of  Jericho.  If  you  had  asked  what  they  had  with 
which  to  bring  down  the  walls  of  that  city,  all  you  would 
have  seen  would  have  been  a  few  rams'  horns.  They 
must  have  looked  very  mean  and  contemptible  in  the 
eyes  of  the  men  of  Jericho.  Perhaps  the  city  contained 
some  men  who  were  giants;  as  they  looked  over  the 
walls  and  saw  the  Israelites  marching  around  the  city 
blowing  these  horns,   they  must  have  appeared   very 


THE  OF  POWER    LITTLE  THINGS.  91 

insignificant.  But  God  can  use  the  base  things,  the 
despised  things.  However  contemptible  an  instrument 
a  ram's  horn  may  have  appeared  in  the  sight  of  man, 
the  people  went  on  blowing  them  as  they  were  com- 
manded; and  at  the  appointed  time  down  came  the 
walls,  and  the  city  was  taken.  The  Israelites  had  no 
battering  rams;  no  great  armor  or  mighty  weapons  of 
any  kind.  They  simply  took  what  they  had,  and  God 
used  it  to  do  the  work. 

Look  at  Samson  going  out  to  meet  a  thousand  Philis- 
tines. AThat  has  he  with  him  ?  Only  the  jawbone 
of  an  ass !  If  God  could  use  that,  surely  He  can  use  us, 
can  he  not?  Do  you  tell  me  He  cannot  use  this  woman, 
that  little  boy  ?  There  is  not  one  whom  He  cannot  use, 
if  we  are  willing  to  be  used. 

I  remember  hearing  a  Scotchman  say,  when  I  was  in 
Great  Britain  ten  years  ago,  that  there  was  probably  not 
a  man  in  all  Saul's  army  but  believed  that  God  could 
use  him  to  go  out  and  slay  the  giant  of  Gath.  But 
there  was  only  one  solitary  man  who  believed  that  God 
would  use  him.  David  w^ent  out  to  meet  Goliath  and 
we  know  the  result.  We  all  believe  that  God  can  use 
us;  we  want  to  take  a  step  further  and  believe  that  He 
will  use  us.  If  w^e  are  willing  to  be  used.  He  is  willing 
to  use  us  in  His  service.  How  contemptible  these 
smooth  stones  that  David  took  out  of  the  brook  would 
have  appeared  to  Goliath!  Even  Saul  wanted  David 
to  take  his  armor,  and  put  it  on.  He  was  on  the  point 
of  yielding;  but  he  took  his  sling  and  the  five  smooth 
stones  and  went  out.  The  giant  of  Gath  fell  before 
him.  Let  us  go  forth  in  the  name  of  the  God  of  hosts, 
using  what  we  have,  and  He  will  give  us  the  victory. 


92  "  "TO  THE  WORK  !  '* 

When  I  was  in  Glasgow  a  few  years  ago,  a  friend  was 
telling  me  about  an  open-air  preacher  who  died  there 
some  years  before.  This  man  was  preaching  one  Sabbath 
morning  on  Shamgar.  He  said:  "I  can  imagine  that 
when  he  was  ploughing  in  the  field  a  man  came  running 
over  the  hill  all  out  of  breath,  and  shouted:  'Shamgar! 
Shamgar!  There  are  six  hundred  Philistines  coming 
toward  you.'  Shamgar  quietly  said:  'You  pass  on;  I 
can  take  care  of  them,  they  are  four  hundred  short.' 
So  he  took  an  ox  goad  and  slew  the  whole  of  them.  He 
routed  them  hip  and  high.  And  the  Israelites  had 
again  fulfilled  before  their  eyes  the  words :  '  One  shall 
chase  a  thousand  and  two  shall  put  ten  thousand  to 
flight.'  "  Now-a-days  it  takes  about  a  thousand  to  chase 
one,  because  we  do  not  realize  that  we  are  weak  in  our- 
selves and  that  our  strength  is  in  God. 

AVe  want  to  remember  that  it  is  true  to-day  as  ever  it 
was  that  "  One  shall  chase  a  thousand."  What  we  need 
is  Holy  Ghost  power  that  can  take  up  the  weakest  child 
here  and  make  him  mighty  in  God's  hand.  There  is  a 
mountain  to  be  threshed ;  there  lies  a  bar  of  iron,  and  a 
little  weak  worm.  God  puts  aside  the  iron,  and  takes 
up  the  worm  to  thresh  the  mountain.  That  is  God's 
way.  His  thoughts  are  not  our  thoughts ;  His  plans  are 
not  ours. 

We  say:  "If  such  and  such  a  man  were  only  con- 
verted— that  rich  man  or  that  wealthy  lady — how  much 
good  would  be  done!  "  Very  true;  but  it  may  be  that 
God  will  pass  them  by  and  take  up  some  poor  tramp, 
and  make  him  the  greatest  instrument  for  good  in  all 
the  land.  John  Bunyan,  the  poor  Bedford  tinker,  was 
worth  more  than  all  the  nobility  of  his  day.     God  took 


THE  POWER  OF  LITTLE  THINGS,  93 

him  in  hand,  and  he  became  mighty.  He  wrote  that 
wonderful  book  that  has  gone  marching  through  the 
nations,  lifting  up  many  a  weary  heart,  cheering  many 
a  discouraged  and  disheartened  one.  Let  us  remember 
that  if  we  are  willing  to  be  used,  God  is  willing  and 
waiting  to  use  us. 

I  once  heard  an  Englishman  speak  about  Christ  feed- 
ing the  five  thousand  with  the  five  barley  loaves  and  tlie 
two  small  fishes.  He  said  that  Christ  may  have  taken 
one  of  the  loaves  and  broken  off  a  piece  and  given  it  to 
one  of  the  disciples  to  divide.  When  the  disciple  be- 
gan to  pass  it  round  he  only  gave  a  very  small  piece  to 
the  first,  because  he  was  afraid  it  would  not  hold  out. 
But  after  he  had  given  the  first  piece  it  did  not  seem  to 
grow  any  the  less;  so  the  next  time  he  gave  a  larger 
piece,  and  still  the  bread  was  not  exhausted.  The 
more  he  gave,  the  more  the  bread  increased,  until  all 
had  plenty. 

At  the  first  all  could  be  carried  in  one  basket;  but 
when  the  whole  multitude  had  been  satisfied  the  disci- 
ples gathered  up  twelve  baskets  full  of  fragments. 
They  had  a  good  deal  more  when  they  stopped  than 
when  they  began.  Let  us  bring  our  little  barley  loaves 
to  the  Master  that  He  may  multiply  them. 

You  say  you  have  not  got  much ;  well,  you  can  use 
what  you  have.  The  longer  I  work  in  Christ's  vineyard 
the  more  convinced  I  am  that  a  good  many  are  kept  out 
of  the  service  of  Christ,  deprived  of  the  luxury  of  work- 
ing for  God,  because  they  are  trying  to  do  some  great 
thing.  Let  us  be  willing  to  do  little  things.  And  let 
us  remember  that  nothing  is  small  in  which  God  is. 
Elijah's  servant  came  to  him  and  told  him  he  saw  a 


94  "TO  THE  WORK!'' 

cloud  not  larger  than  a  man's  hand.  That  was  enough 
for  Elijah.  He  said  to  his  servant,  "  Go,  tell  Ahab  to 
make  haste;  there  is  the  sound  of  abundance  of  rain." 
Elijah  knew  that  the  small  cloud  would  bring  rain. 
Nothing  that  we  do  for  God  is  small. 

I  remember  holding  meetings  some  years  ago  at  a 
certain  place,  and  I  met  a  young  lady  at  the  house 
where  I  was  staying.  She  told  me  she  had  a  Sunday 
afternoon  class  in  a  mission-school.  At  one  of  our  af- 
ternoon meetings  I  saw  this  lady  sitting  right  in  front ; 
she  must  have  been  there  early  to  get  a  good  seat.  Af- 
ter the  service  I  met  her,  and  I  said:  "  I  saw  you  at  the 
meeting  to-day;  I  thought  you  had  a  class."  "So  I 
have." 

"  Did  you  get  some  one  to  take  it  for  you?  "     "  No." 

"Did  you  tell  the  Superintendent  you  were  not  to  be 
there?"     "No." 

*'  Do  you  know  who  had  the  class  ?  "      "  No." 

"  Do  you  know  if  any  one  was  there  to  take  it ?  "  "I 
am  afraid  there  was  nobody ;  for  I  saw  a  good  many  of 
the  teachers  of  the  school  at  your  meeting." 

"  Is  that  the  way  you  do  the  Lord's  work? "  "  Well, 
you  know,  I  have  only  five  little  boys.  I  thought  it 
would  not  make  any  difference." 

Only  five  little  boys!  Why,  there  might  have  been 
a  John  Knox,  or  a  Wesley,  or  a  Whitefield,  or  a  Bun- 
yan  there.  You  cannot  tell  what  these  boys  might  be- 
come. One  of  them  might  become  another  Martin 
Luther ;  there  might  be  a  second  Reformation  slumber- 
ing in  one  of  these  five  little  boys.  It  is  a  great  thing 
for  any  one  to  take  "five  little  boys"  and  train  them 
for  God  and  for  eternity.       You  may  set    a  stream 


THE  POWER  OF  LITTLE  THINGS.  95 

in  motion  that  will  flow  on   after  you  are  dead  and 
gone. 

Little  did  the  mothers  of  the  Wesleys  know  what 
would  be  the  result,  when  she  trained  her  boys  for  God 
and  for  His  kingdom.  See  what  mighty  results  have 
tipwed  from  that  one  source.  It  is  estimated  that  there 
are  to-day  25,000,000  adherents  of  the  Methodist 
faith,  and  over  5,000,000  communicants.  It  is  esti- 
mated there  are  110,000  regular  and  local  preachers  in 
the  United  States  alone.  Two  new  churches  are  being 
built  every  day  in  the  year ;  and  the  work  of  the  Method- 
ist Church  is  spreading  over  this  great  Republic. 
And  all  this  has  been  done  in  about  a  hundred  and  fifty 
years.  Let  not  mothers  think  that  their  work  of  train- 
ing children  for  God  is  a  small  one.  In  the  sight  of 
God  it  is  very  great;  many  may  rise  up  in  eternity  to 
call  them  blessed. 

I  have  now  in  my  mind  a  mother  who  has  had  twelve 
boys.  They  have  all  grown  up  to  be  active  Christians. 
A  number  of  them  are  preachers  of  the  Gospel ;  and  all 
of  them  are  true  to  the  Son  of  God.  There  are  very 
few  women  in  our  country  who  have  done  more  for  the 
nation  than  that  mother.  It  is  a  great  thing  to  be  per- 
mitted to  touch  God's  work,  and  to  be  a  co-worker  with 
Him. 

There  is  a  bridge  over  the  Niagara  River.  It  is  one 
of  the  great  highways  of  the  nation ;  trains  pass  over  it 
every  few  minutes  of  the  day.  When  they  began  to 
make  the  bridge,  the  first  thing  they  did  was  to  take  a 
boy's  kite  and  send  a  little  thread  across  the  stream. 
It  seemed  a  very  small  thing,  but  it  was  tlie  beginning 
of  a  great  work.     So  if  we  only  lead  one  soul  to  Christ, 


96  "  TO  THE  WORK  ! 


eternity  alone  may  tell  what  the  result  will  be.  You 
may  be  the  means  of  saving  some  one  who  may  become 
one  of  the  most  eminent  men  in  the  service  of  God 
that  the  world  has  ever  seen. 

We  may  not  be  able  to  do  any  great  thing ;  but  if 
each  of  us  will  do  something,  however  small  it  may  be, 
a  good  deal  will  be  accomplished  for  God.  For  a  good 
many  years  I  have  made  it  a  rule  not  to  let  any  day  pass 
without  speaking  to  some  one  about  eternal  things.  I 
commenced  it  aAvay  back  years  ago,  and  if  I  live  the 
life  allotted  to  man,  there  will  be  18,250  persons  who 
will  have  been  spoken  to  personally  by  me.  That  of 
course  does  not  take  into  account  those  to  whom  I 
speak  publicly.  How  often  we  as  Christians  meet  with 
people,  when  we  might  turn  the  conversation  into  a 
channel  that  will  lead  them  up  to  Christ. 

There  are  many  burdened  hearts  all  around  us ;  can  we 
not  help  to  remove  these  burdens  ?  Some  one  has  rep- 
resented this  world  as  two  great  mountains^a  moun- 
tain of  sorrow  and  a  mountain  of  joy.  If  we  can  each 
day  take  something  from  the  mountain  of  sorrow  and 
add  it  to  the  mountain  of  joy,  a  good  deal  will  be  ac- 
complished in  the  course  of  a  year. 

I  remember  Mr.  Spurgeon  making  this  remark  a  few 
days  ago :  When  Moses  went  to  tell  the  king  of  Egypt 
that  he  would  call  up  the  plague  of  frogs  upon  the  land, 
the  king  may  have  said :  "  Your  God  is  the  God  of  frogs, 
is  He  ?  I  am  not  afraid  of  them ;  bring  them  on,  I  do 
not  care  for  the  frogs  !  "  Says  Moses:  "  But  there  are 
a  good  many  of  them,  O  king.''  And  he  found  that  out. 
So  we  may  be  weak  and  contemptible  individually, 
but  there  a  good  many  Christians  scattered  all  over 


THE  POWER  OF  LITTLE  THINGS.  97 

the  land,  and  we  can  accomplish  a  great  deal  between 
us.  Supposing  each  one  who  loves  the  Lord  Jesus 
were  to  resolve  to-day,  by  God's  help,  to  try  and  lead 
one  soul  to  Christ  this  week.  Is  there  a  professing 
Christian  who  cannot  lead  some  soul  into  the  kin^rdom 
of  God?  If  you  cannot  I  want  to  tell  you  that  there 
is  something  wrong  in  your  life ;  you  had  better  have  it 
straightened  out  at  once.  If  you  have  not  an  in- 
fluence for  good  over  some  one  of  your  friends  or 
neighbors,  there  is  something  in  your  life  that  needs 
to  be  put  right.     May  God  show  it  to  you  to-day  ! 

I  have  little  sympathy  with  the  idea  that  a  Christian 
man  or  woman  has  to  live  for  years  before  they  can 
have  the  privilege  of  leading  anyone  out  of  the  dark- 
ness of  this  world  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  I  do  not 
believe,  either,  that  all  God's  work  is  going  to  be  done 
by  ministers,  and  other  officers  in  the  Churches.  This 
lost  world  will  never  be  reached  and  brought  back  to 
loyalty  to  God,  until  the  children  of  God  wake  up  to 
the  fact  that  they  have  a  mission  in  the  world.  If  we 
are  true  Christians  we  should  all  be  missionaries.  Christ 
came  down  from  heaven  on  a  mission,  and  if  we  have 
His  Spirit  in  us  we  will  be  missionaries  too.  If  we 
have  no  desire  to  see  the  world  discipled,  to  see  men 
brought  back  to  God,  there  is  something  very  far  wrong 
in  our  religion. 

If  you  cannot  work  among  the  elder  people  you  can 
go  to  work  among  the  children.  Let  Christians  speak 
kindly  to  these  boys  and  girls  about  their  souls ;  they 
will  remember  it  all  their  lives.  They  may  forget  the 
sermon,  but  if  some  one  speaks  to  them  personally, 
they  will  say:  "  That  man  or  woman  must  be  greatly 
7 


98  "  TO  THE  WORK  !  " 

interested  in  me  or  they  would  not  have  been  at  the 
trouble  to  speak  to  me."  They  may  wake  up  to  the 
fact  that  they  have  immortal  souls,  and  even  if  the 
preaching  goes  right  over  their  heads,  a  little  personal 
effort  may  be  a  means  of  blessing  to  them. 

This  personal  and  individual  dealing  is  perfectly 
Scriptural.  Philip  was  called  away  from  a  great  work 
in  Samaria  to  go  and  speak  to  one  man  in  the  desert. 
Christ's  great  sermon  on  Regeneration  was  addressed 
to  one  man;  and  that  wonderful  discourse  by  our  Lord 
on  the  Water  of  Life  was  spoken  to  one  poor  sinful 
woman.  I  pity  those  Cliristians  who  are  not  mlling 
to  speak  to  one  soul ;  they  are  not  fit  for  God's  service. 
We  shall  not  accomplish  much  for  God  in  the  world, 
if  we  are  not  willing  to  speak  to  the  ones  and  twos. 

Another  thing:  Do  not  let  Satan  make  you  believe 
that  the  children  are  too  young  to  be  saved.  Of  course 
you  cannot  put  old  heads  on  young  shoulders.  You 
cannot  make  them  into  deacons  and  elders  all  at  once. 
But  they  can  give  their  young  hearts  to  Christ. 

A  good  many  years  ago  I  had  a  mission  school  in 
Chicago.  The  children  were  mostly  those  of  ungodly 
parents.  I  only  had  them  about  an  hour  out  of  the 
week,  and  it  seemed  as  if  any  good  they  got  was  wiped 
out  during  the  week.  I  used  to  think  that  if  ever  I 
became  a  public  speaker  I  would  go  up  and  down  the 
world  and  beseech  parents  to  consider  the  importance 
of  training  their  children  for  God  and  eternity.  On 
one  of  the  first  Sabbaths  I  went  out  of  Chicago  I  im- 
pressed this  on  the  congregation. 

When  I  had  finished  my  address  an  old  white-haired 
man  got  up.     I  was  all  in  a  tremble,  thinking  he  was 


THE  POWER  OF  LITTLE  THINGS.  99 

going  to  criticise  what  I  had  said.  Instead  of  that  he 
said:  "  I  want  to  indorse  all  that  this  young  man  has 
spoken.  Sixteen  years  ago  I  was  in  a  heathen  country. 
My  wife  died  and  left  me  with  three  motherless  chil- 
dren. The  first  Sabbath  after  her  death  my  eldest  girl, 
ten  years  old,  said:  '  Papa,  may  I  take  the  children  into 
the  bedroom  and  pray  with  them  as  mother  used  to  do 
on  the  Sabbath  ? '     I  said  she  might. 

"  When  they  came  out  of  the  room  after  a  time  I 
saw  that  my  eldest  daughter  had  been  weeping.  I  called 
her  to  me,  and  said:  'Nellie,  what  is  the.trouble? ' 
'Oh,  father,'  she  said,  '  after  we  went  into  the  room  I 
made  the  prayer  that  mother  taught  me  to  make.' 
Then,  naming  her  little  brother,  '  He  made  the  prayer 
that  mother  taught  him.  Little  Susie  didn't  use  to 
pray  when  mother  took  us  in  there  because  mother 
thought  she  was  too  young.  But  when  we  got  through 
she  made  a  prayer  of  her  own.  I  could  not  but  weep 
when  I  heard  her  pray.  She  put  her  little  hands  to- 
gether and  closed  her  eyes  and  said:  "O  God,  you 
have  taken  away  my  dear  mamma,  and  I  have  no 
mamma  now  to  pray  for  me.  Won't  you  bless  me  and 
make  me  good  just  as  mamma  was,  for  Jesus  Christ's 
sake,  Amen."'  "Little  Susie  gave  evidence  of  having 
given  her  young  heart  to  God  before  she  was  four 
years  old.  For  sixteen  years  she  has  been  at  work  as 
a  missionary  among  the  heathen." 

Let  us  remember  that  God  can  use  these  little  chil- 
dren. Dr.  Milnor  was  brought  up  a  Quaker,  became 
a  distinguished  lawyer  in  Philadelphia,  and  was  a 
member  of  Congress  for  three  successive  terms.  Pe- 
turning  to  his  home  on  a  visit  during  his  last  Congres- 


100  "  TO  THE  WORK  I " 


sional  session,  liis  little  clanghter  rushed  upon  him  ex- 
claiming, "Papa!  papa!  do  you  know  I  can  read?" 
"  No?  "  he  said,  "  let  me  hear  you  !  "  She  opened  her 
little  Bible  and  read,  "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy 
God  with  all  thy  heart."  It  was  an  arrow  in  her  fath- 
er's heart.  It  came  to  him  as  a  solemn  admonition. 
"  Out  of  the  mouth  of  babes,"  God's  Spirit  moved  with- 
in him.  He  was  driven  to  his  closet,  and  a  friend  call- 
ing upon  him  found  he  had  been  weeping  over  the 
Bairymwi's  Daughter.  Although  only  forty  years  of 
age,  he  abandoned  politics  and  law  for  the  ministry  of 
the  Gospel.  For  thirty  years  he  was  the  beloved  rec- 
tor of  St.  George's  Church,  in  Philadelphia,  the  prede- 
cessor of  the  venerated  Dr.  Tyng. 

Dear  mothers  and  fathers,  let  us  in  simple  faith  bring 
our  children  to  Christ.  He  is  the  same  to-day  as  when 
He  took  them  in  His  arms  and  said:  "  Suffer  the  little 
children  to  come  unto  Me  and  forbid  them  not;  for  of 
such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 

I  may  not  do  much  with  all  my  care, 

But  I  surely  may  bless  a  few  ; 
The  loving  Jesus  will  give  to  me, 

Some  work  of  love  to  do  ; 
I  may  wipe  the  tears  from  some  weeping  eyes, 

I  may  bring  the  smile  again 
To  a  face  that  is  weary  and  worn  with  care, 

To  a  heart  that  is  full  of  pain. 
I  may  speak  His  name  to  the  sorrowful. 

As  I  journey  by  their  side  ; 
To  the  sinful  and  desparing  ones 

I  may  preach  of  the  Crucified. 
I  may  drop  some  httle  gentle  word 

In  the  midst  of  some  scene  of  strife; 
I  may  comfort  the  sick  and  the  dying 

With  a  thought  of  eternal  life. 

Marianne  Farningham, 


''SHE  HATH  DONE  WHAT  SHE  COULD."       101 


CHAPTEE  YII. 

"SHE  HATH  DONE  WHAT  SHE  COULD." 


In  the  gospel  by  Mark  we  read:  "After  two  days 
was  the  feast  of  the  Passover,  and  of  unleavened  bread : 
and  the  Chief  Priests  and  the  Scribes  sought  how 
they  might  take  Him  by  craft,  and  put  Him  to  death. 
But  they  said,  not  on  the  feast  day,  lest  there  be  an 
uproar  of  the  people.  And  being  in  Bethany  in  the 
house  of  Simon  the  leper,  as  He  sat  at  meat,  there  came 
a  woman  having  an  alabaster  box  of  ointment  of  spike- 
nard, very  precious ;  and  she  brake  the  box,  and  poured 
it  on  His  head.  And  there  were  some  that  had  indig- 
nation within  themselves,  and  said.  Why  was  this  waste 
of  the  ointment  made?  For  it  might  have  been  sold 
for  more  than  three  hundred  pence,  and  have  been 
given  to  the  poor.  And  they  murmured  against  her. 
And  Jesus  said,  'Let  her  alone ;  why  trouble  ye  her  ?  She 
hath  wrought  a  good  work  for  Me.  For  ye  have  the 
poor  with  yon  always,  and  whensoever  ye  will  ye  may 
do  them  good;  but  Me  ye  have  not  always.  She  hath 
done  what  she  could;  she  is  come  aforehand  to  anoint 
My  body  to  the  burying.  Yerily  I  say  unto  you, 
wheresoever  this  Gospel  shall  be  preached  thoughout 
the  .whole  world,  this  also  that  she  hath  done  shall  be 
spoken  of  for  a  memorial  of  her.' " 


102  "  TO  THE  WORK  !  " 

John  tells  us  in  his  Gospel  who  this  woman  was. 
"Then  Jesus  six  days  before  the  Passover  came  to 
Bethany,  where  Lazarus  was  which  had  been  dead,  whom 
He  raised  from  the  dead.  There  they  made  Him  a 
supper,  and  Martha  served;  but  Lazarus  was  one  of 
them  that  sat  at  the  table  with  him.  Then  took  Mary 
a  pound  of  ointment  of  spikenard,  very  costly,  and 
anointed  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  wiped  his  feet  with  her 
hair;  and  the  house  was  filled  with  the  odor  of  the 
ointment.  Then  saith  one  of  His  disciples,  Judas 
Iscariot,  Simon's  son,  which  should  betray  Him:  'Why 
was  not  this  ointment  sold  for  three  hundred  pence, 
and  given  to  the  poor?'  This  he  said,  not  that  he 
cared  for  the  poor;  but  because  he  was  a  thief,  and 
had  the  bag,  and  bare  what  was  put  therein.  Then 
said  Jesus,  'Let  her  alone :  against  the  day  of  My  bury- 
ing hath  she  kept  this.  For  the  poor  always  ye  have 
with  you;  but  Me  ye  have  not  always.' " 

This  is  the  last  time  we  have  a  glimpse  of  the  family 
at  Bethany.  It  was  Christ's  last  week  there,  and  here 
we  have  the  last  recorded  interview  between  Christ  and 
that  lovely  family. 

Speaking  of  Martha  and  Mary  some  one  has  said: 
"  They  were  both  dear  to  Jesus  and  they  both  loved 
Him,  but  they  were  different.  The  eye  of  one  saw  His 
weariness  and  would  give  to  Him ;  the  faith  of  the  other 
apprehended  His  fulness  and  would  draw  from  Him; 
Martha's  service  was  acceptable  to  the  Lord  and  was 
acknowledged  by  Him,  but  He  would  not  allow  it  to 
disturb  Mary's  communion.  Mary  knew  his  mind;  she 
had  deeper  fellowship  with  Him;  her  heart  clung  to 
Himself." 


''SHE  HATH  DONE  WHAT  SHE  COULD."       103 

I  want  to  call  your  attention  specially  to  one  clause 
from  this  fourteenth  chapter  of  Mark,  "She  hath 
done  what  she  could."  If  some  one  had  reported  in 
Jerusalem  that  something  was  going  to  happen  at 
Bethany  on  that  memorable  day,  that  should  outlive 
the  Boman  Empire,  and  all  the  monarchs  that  had  ever 
existed  or  would  exist,  there  would  have  been  great 
excitement  in  the  city.  A  good  many  people  would 
have  gone  down  to  Bethany  that  day  to  see  the  thing 
that  was  going  to  happen,  and  that  was  to  live  so  long. 
Little  did  Mary  think  that  she  was  going  to  erect  a 
monument  which  would  outlive  empires  and  kingdoms. 
She  never  thought  of  herself.  Love  does  not  think  of 
itself.  What  does  Christ  say :  "  Wheresoever  this  Gospel 
shall  be  preached  throughout  the  whole  world,  this 
also  that  she  hath  done  shall  be  spoken  of  for  a 
memorial  of  her." 

This  one  story  has  already  been  put  into  three  hun- 
dred and  fifty  different  languages,  and  it  is  now  in 
circulation  in  every  nation  under  heaven.  Day  by  day 
this  story  is  being  printed  and  published.  One  society 
in  London  alone  prints,  every  working  hour  of  the  day, 
five  hundred  records  of  this  act  that  took  place  at 
Bethany.  It  is  being  spread  abroad  in  all  the  corners 
of  the  earth.  It  will  be  told  out  as  long  as  the  Church 
of  God  exists.  Matthew  speaks  of  it;  so  does  John; 
and  so  does  Mark. 

Men  seek  to  erect  some  monument  that  will  live  after 
they  are  dead  and  gone.  This  woman  never  thought 
to  erect  a  monument;  she  simply  wanted  to  lavish  her 
love  upon  Christ.  But  the  act  has  lived  and  will  con- 
tinue to  live  while  the  Church  is  on  earth.     It  is  as 


104  "TO  THE  WORK  !'' 

f resli  to-day  as  it  was  a  hundred  years  ago :  it  is  fresher 
than  it  was  five  hundred  years  ago.  In  fact  there  never 
was  a  time  when  it  was  so  well  known  as  to-day. 
Although  Mary  was  herself  unknown  outside  of  Bethany 
when  she  performed  the  act,  now  it  is  known  over  all 
the  world.  Kings  have  come  and  gone ;  empires  have 
risen  and  crumbled.  Egypt,  with  its  ancient  glories, 
has  passed  away.  Greece,  with  its  wise  men  and  its 
mighty  philosophers  and  its  warriors,  has  been  almost 
forgotten.  The  great  Eoman  empire  has  passed  away. 
We  do  not  know  the  names  of  those  who  are  buried  in 
the  Pyramids,  or  of  those  who  were  embalmed  in  Egypt, 
with  so  much  care  and  trouble,  but  the  record  of  this 
humble  life  continues  to  be  an  inspiration  to  others. 

Here  is  a  woman  whose  memory  has  outlived  Caesar, 

Alexander,   Cyrus,   and  all  the  great  warriors  of  the 

ancient  world.     We  do  not  know  that  she  was  wealthy, 

or  beautiful,  or  gifted,  or  great  in  the  eye  of  the  world. 

What  we  do  know  is  that  she  loved  the  Savior.     She 

took  this  box  of  precious  ointment  and  broke  it  over 

the  body  of  Christ.     Some  one  has  said  it  was  the  only 

thing  He  ever  received  that  He  did  not  give  away.     It 

^  was  a  small  thing  in  the  sight  of  the  world.     If  there 

;  had  been  daily  papers  in  those  days,  and  some  Jerusalem 

[reporter  had  been  looking  out  for  items  of  news  that 

;  (W<l>uld  interest  the  inhabitants,  I  suppose  he  would  not 

have  thought  it  worth  putting  into  his  paper.     Yet  it 

'{hM\  fOutlived  all  that  happened  in  that  century,  except, 

.jicjf.iCoUI'se,  the  sayings,  and  the  other  events  connected 

•i^ithi-tlieiife  of  Christ.     Mary  had  Christ  in  her  heart 

Ji^sswl0U7afean  her  creed.    She  loved  Him  and  she  showed 

;..bQ^  }(>ve  itt  (acts. 


"SHE  HATH  DONE  WHAT  SHE  COULD."        105 

Thank  God,  everyone  of  us  can  love  Christ,  and  we 
can  all  do  something  for  Hini.  It  may  be  a  small  thing ; 
but  whatever  it  is  it  shall  ])e  lasting;  it  will  outlive  all 
the  monuments  on  earth.  The  iron  and  the  granite  will 
rust  and  crumble  and  fade  away,  but  anything  done  for 
Christ  will  never  fade.  It  will  be  more  lasting  than 
time  itself.  Christ  says:  "Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass 
away,  but  My  word  shall  not  pass  away." 

Look  again  and  see  that  woman  in  the  temple. 
Christ  stood  there  as  the  people  passed  by  and  cast 
their  offerings  into  the  treasury.  The  widow  had  but 
two  mites  and  she  cast  it  all  in.  Tlie  Lord  saw  that  her 
heart  was  in  it,  and  so  He  commended  her.  If  some 
nobleman  had  cast  in  a  thousand  dollars  Christ  would 
probably  not  have  noticed  it,  unless  his  heart  had  gone 
with  it.  Gold  is  of  little  value  in  heaven.  It  is  so 
plentiful  there  that  they  use  it  to  pave  the  streets  with ; 
and  it  is  transparent  gold,  much  better  gold  than  we 
have  in  this  world.  It  is  when  the  heart  goes  with  the 
offering  that  it  is  accepted  of  Christ.  So  He  said  of 
this  woman:  "She  hath  cast  in  more  than  they  all." 
She  had  done  all  she  could. 

I  think  this  is  the  lesson  we  are  to  learn  from 
these  Scripture  incidents.  The  Lord  expects  us  to  do 
what  we  can.  We  can  all  do  something.  In  one  of 
our  Southern  cities  a  few  Christian  people  gathered 
together  at  the  beginning  of  the  war  to  see  what  could 
be  done  about  building  a  church  in  a  part  of  the  city 
where  the  poor  were  very  much  neglected.  After  they 
had  discussed  the  matter  they  wanted  to  see  how  much 
could  be  raised  out  of  the  congregation.  • 

One  said  he  would  give  so  much ;  others  said  they 


106  "  TO  THE  WORK  /" 

would  give  so  mucli.  Tliey  only  got  about  half  the 
amount  that  was  needed,  and  it  was  thought  they  would 
have  to  abandon  the  project.  Away  back  in  the  meet- 
ing there  sat  a  washerwoman.  She  rose  and  said  her 
little  boy  had  died  a  week  before.  All  he  had  was  a 
gold  dollar.  She  said:  "It  is  all  I  have,  but  I  will 
give  the  dollar  to  the  cause."  Her  words  touched  the 
hearts  of  many  of  those  who  heard  them.  Rich  men 
were  ashamed  at  what  they  had  given.  The  whole 
sum  was  raised  within  a  very  short  time.  I  have  spo- 
ken in  that  church,  and  I  know  it  to  be  a  centre  of  in- 
fluence in  one  of  our  great  cities.  This  poor  woman 
did  what  she  could ;  perhaps  she  gave  more  in  propor- 
tion than  anyone  in  the  city. 

When  we  were  in  London  eight  years  ago,  we  wanted 
the  city  to  be  canvassed ;  we  called  for  volunteers  to  go 
and  visit  the  people  in  their  own  homes  and  invite  them  to 
come  to  the  meetings.  Among  those  who  came  for- 
ward was  an  old  woman,  eighty-five  years  of  age.  She 
said  she  wanted  to  do  a  little  more  for  the  Master  be- 
fore she  went  home.  She  took  a  district  and  went 
from  house  to  house,  delivering  the  messages  of  invi- 
tation and  the  tracts  to  the  people.  I  suppose  she  has 
now  gone  to  her  reward,  but  I  shall  never  forget  her. 
She  wanted  to  do  what  she  could.  If  every  Christian 
man  and  woman  will  do  what  Mary  did,  multitudes  will 
be  reached  and  blessed. 

Years  ago,  when  Illinois  was  but  a  young  State,  there 
were  only  a  few  settlers  here  and  there  throughout  a 
large  portion.  One  of  these  was  a  man  who  used  to 
spend  his  Sundays  in  hunting  and  fishing.  He  was  a 
profane  and  notoriously  wicked  man.     His  little  girl 


''SHE  HATH  DONE  WHAT  SHE  COULD.''       107 

went  to  the  Sabbath-school  at  the  log  school-house. 
There  she  was  taught  the  way  into  the  kingdom  of 
God.  When  she  was  converted  the  teacher  tried  to 
tell  her  how  she  might  be  used  of  God  in  doing  good 
to  others.  She  thought  she  would  begin  with  her 
father.  Others  had  tried  to  reach  him  and  had  failed 
to  do  it,  but  his  own  child  had  more  influence  with  him. 
It  is  written,  "  A  little  child  shall  lead  them."  She 
got  him  to  promise  to  go  to  the  meeting.  He  came  to 
the  door,  but  at  first  he  would  not  go  in.  He  had  gone 
to  the  school  when  he  was  young,  but  one  day  the  boys 
laughed  at  him  because  he  had  a  little  impediment  in 
his  speech.  He  would  not  go  back,  and  so  he  had 
never  learned  to  read. 

However  he  was  at  last  induced  to  go  to  the  Sabbath- 
school.  There  he  heard  of  Christ,  and  he  was  converted 
to  God.  His  little  child  helped  him  and  others  helped 
him,  and  he  soon  learned  to  read.  This  man  has  since 
been  called  to  his  reward,  but  about  two  years  ago  when 
I  saw  him  last,  if  I  remember  well,  that  man  had 
established  on  the  Western  prairies  between  1,100  and 
1,200  Sunday-schools.  In  addition  to  all  these  school- 
houses,  scattered  about  over  the  country,  churches  have 
sprung  up.  There  are  now  hundreds  of  flourishing 
churches  that  have  grown  out  of  these  little  mission 
schools  that  he  planted.  He  used  to  have  a  Sunday- 
school  horse,  a  "Robert  Raikes"  horse  he  called  him, 
on  which  he  traveled  up  and  down  the  country,  going 
into  many  outlying  districts  where  nothing  was  being 
done  for  Christ.  He  used  to  gather  the  parents  into 
the  log  school-houses  and  tell  how  his  little  girl  led 
him  to  Christ.    I  have  heard  a  great  many  orators,  but 


108  "  TO  THE  WORK  !  " 

I  never  heard  any  who  could  move  an  audience  as  he 
could.  There  was  no  impediment  in  his  speech  when 
he  begaii  to  speak  for  Christ ;  he  seemed  to  have  all  the 
eloquence  and  fire  of  heaven.  That  little  girl  did  what 
she  could.  She  did  a  good  day's  work  when  she  led 
her  father  to  the  Savior. 

Every  one  of  us  may  do  something.  If  we  are  only 
willing  to  do  what  we  can,  the  Lord  will  condescend  to 
use  us ;  and  it  will  be  a  great  thing  to  be  instruments  in 
His  hand  that  He  may  do  with  us  what  He  will. 

I  remember  reading  in  the  papers  that  when  the 
theatre  in  Yienna  was  on  fire  a  few  years  ago,  a  man  in 
one  of  the  corridors  was  hurrying  out.  Many  others  of 
the  people  were  trying  to  find  their  way  out  so  as  to 
escape  from  the  fire.  It  was  dark,  but  this  man  had  a 
single  match  in  his  pocket.  He  struck  it,  and  by  doing 
so  he  was  able  to  save  twenty  lives.  He  did  what  he 
could. 

You  think  you  cannot  do  much.  If  you  are  the  means 
of  saving  one  soul,  he  may  be  instrumental  in  saving  a 
hundred  more.  I  remember  when  we  were  in  England 
ten  years  ago,  there  was  a  woman  in  the  city  where  we 
labored  who  got  stirred  up.  I  do  not  know  but  it  was 
this  very  text  that  moved  her,  "  She  hath  done  what  she 
could."  She  had  been  a  nominal  Christian  for  a  good 
many  years,  but  she  had  not  thought  that  she  had  any 
particular  mission  in  the  world.  I  am  afraid  that  is  the 
condition  of  many  professedly  Christian  men  and 
women.  Now  she  began  to  look  about  her  to  see  what 
she  could  do.  She  thought  she  would  try  and  do  some- 
thing for  her  fallen  sisters  in  that  town.  She  went  out 
and  began  to  talk  kindly  to  those  she  met  on  the  street. 


''SHE  HATH  DONE  WHAT  SHE  COULD."       109 

She  hired  a  house  and  invited  them  to  come  and  meet 
her  there. 

When  we  went  back  to  that  city  about  a  year  or  so 
ago,  she  had  rescued  over  three  hundred  of  these  fallen 
ones,  and  had  restored  them  to  their  parents  and 
homes.  She  is  now  corresponding  with  many  of  them. 
Think  of  more  than  three  hundred  of  these  sisters 
reclaimed  from  sin  and  death,  through  the  efforts  of  one 
woman.  She  did  what  she  could.  What  a  grand 
harvest  there  will  be,  and  how  she  will  rejoice  when  she 
hears  the  Master  say:  "AYell  done,  good  and  faithful 
servant." 

I  remember  hearing  of  a  man  in  one  of  the 
hospitals  who  received  a  boquet  of  flowers  from  the 
Flower  Mission.  He  looked  at  the  beautiful  boquet 
and  said:  "Well,  if  I  had  known  that  a  bunch  of 
flowers  could  do  a  fellow  so  much  good,  I  would  have 
sent  some  myself  when  I  was  well."  If  people  only 
knew  how  they  might  cheer  some  lonely  heart  and  lift 
up  some  drooping  spirit,  or  speak  some  word  that  shall 
be  lasting  in  its  effects  for  all  coming  time,  they  would 
be  up  and  about  it.  If  the  Gospel  is  ever  to  be  carried 
into  the  lanes  and  alleys,  up  to  the  attics  and  down  into 
the  cellars,  we  must  all  of  us  be  about  it.  As  I  have 
said,  if  each  of  us  will  do  what  we  can,  a  great  multi- 
tude will  be  gathered  into  the  kingdom  of  God. 

Rev.  Dr.  AVillets,  of  Philadelphia,  in  illustrating  the 
blessedness  of  cultivating  a  liberal  spirit,  uses  this 
beautiful  figure — 

"  See  that  little  fountain  yonder — away  yonder  in  the 
distant  mountain,  shining  like  a  thread  of  silver  through 
the  thick  copse,   and  sparkling  like  a  diamond  in  its 


110  "  TO  THE  WORK  1 " 

healthful  activity.  It  is  hurrying  on  with  tinkling  feet 
to  bear  its  tribute  to  the  river.  See,  it  passes  a  stag- 
nant pool,  and  the  pool  hails  it :  'Whither  away,  master 
streamlet? '  '  I  am  going  to  the  river  to  bear  this  cup 
of  water  God  has  given  me.'  '  Ah,  you  are  very  foolish 
for  that;  you'll  need  it  before  the  summer's  over.  It 
has  been  a  backward  spring,  and  we  shall  have  a  hot 
summer  to  pay  for  it — you  will  dry  up  then.'  '  Well,' 
said  the  streamlet,  '  if  I  am  to  die  so  soon,  I  had  better 
work  while  the  day  lasts.  If  I  am  likely  to  lose  this 
treasure  from  the  heat,  I  had  better  do  good  with  it 
while  I  have  it.'  So  on  it  went,  blessing  and  rejoicing 
in  its  course.  The  pool  smiled  complacently  at  its  own 
superior  foresight,  and  husbanded  all  its  resources,  let- 
ting not  a  drop  steal  away. 

"  Soon  the  midsummer  heat  came  down,  and  it  fell 
upon  the  little  stream.  But  the  trees  crowded  to  its 
brink,  and  threw  out  their  sheltering  branches  over  it 
in  the  day  of  adversity,  for  it  brought  refreshment  and 
life  to  them,  and  the  sun  peeped  through  the  branches 
and  smiled  complacently  upon  its  dimpled  face,  and 
seemed  to  say,  'It's  not  in  my  heart  to  harm  you;'  and 
the  birds  sipped  the  silver  tide,  and  sung  its  praises ; 
the  flowers  breathed  their  perfume  upon  its  bosom ;  the 
husbandman's  eye  always  sparkled  with  joy,  as  he 
looked  upon  the  line  of  verdant  beauty  that  marked  its 
course  through  his  fields  and  meadows;  and  so  on  it 
went,  blessing  and  blessed  of  all  ! 

"And  where  was  the  prudent  pool?  Alas  !  in  its 
glorious  inactivity  it  grew  sickly  and  pestilential.  The 
beasts  of  the  field  put  their  lips  to  it,  but  turned  away 
without  drinking;  the  breeze  stopped  and  kissed  it  by 


''SHE  HATH  DONE  WHAT  SHE  COULD."       HI 

mistake,  but  shrunk  chilled  away.  It  caught  the  malai^ia 
in  the  contact,  and  carried  the  ague  through  the  region ; 
the  inhabitants  caught  it  and  had  to  move  away;  and 
at  last,  the  very  frogs  cast  their  venom  upon  the  pool 
and  deserted  it,  and  heaven,  in  mercy  to  man,  smote  it 
with  a  hotter  breath  and  dried  it  up  ! 

"  But  did  not  the  little  stream  exhaust  itself?  Oh, 
no  ?  God  saw  to  that.  It  emptied  its  full  cup  into  the 
river,  and  the  river  bore  it  on  to  the  sea,  and  the  sea 
welcomed  it,  and  the  sun  smiled  upon  the  sea,  and  the 
sea  sent  up  its  incense  to  greet  the  sun,  and  the  clouds 
caught  in  their  capacious  bosoms  the  incense  from  the 
sea,  and  the  winds,  like  waiting  steeds,  caught  the 
chariots  of  the  clouds  and  bore  them  away — away  to 
the  very  mountain  that  gave  the  little  fountain  birth, 
and  there  they  tipped  the  brimming  cup,  and  poured 
the  grateful  baptism  down ;  and  so  God  saw  to  it  that 
the  little  fountain,  though  it  gave  so  fully  and  so  freely, 
never  ran  dry.  And  if  God  so  blessed  the  fountain, 
will  He  not  bless  you,  my  friends,  if,  as  ye  have  freely 
received,  ye  also  freely  give?     Be  assured  He  will." 

A  young  lady  belonging  to  a  wealthy  family  in  our 
country  was  sent  to  a  fashionable  boarding-school.  In 
the  school  Christ  had  a  true  witness  in  one  of  the  teach- 
ers. She  was  v/atching  for  an  opportunity  of  reaching 
some  of  the  pupils.  When  this  young  lady  of  wealth 
and  position  came,  the  teacher  set  her  heart  upon  win- 
ning her  to  Christ.  The  first  thing  she  did  was  to  gain 
her  affections.  Let  me  say  right  here  that  we  shall 
not  do  much  toward  reaching  the  people  until  we  make 
them  love  us.  This  teacher,  having  won  the  heart  of 
her  pupil,  began  to  talk  to  her  about  Christ,  and  she 


112  "TO  THE  WORK!'' 

soon  won  her  heart  for  the  Savior.  Then  instead  of  drop- 
ping her  as  so  many  do,  she  began  to  show  her  the  luxury 
of  working  for  God.  They  worked  together,  and  were 
successful  in  winning  a  good  many  of  the  young  ladies 
in  the  school  to  Christ.  When  the  pupil  got  a  taste 
of  w^ork,  that  spoiled  the  w^orld  for  her.  Let  me  say  to 
any  Christian  avIio  is  holding  on  to  the  world :  Get  into 
the  Lord's  work,  and  the  world  will  soon  leave  you. 
You  will  not  leave  it,  you  will  have  something  bet- 
ter. I  pity  those  Christians  who  are  all  the  time  ask- 
ing if  they  have  to  give  up  this  thing  and  that 
thing.  You  won't  be  asking  that  when  you  get  a  taste 
of  the  Lord's  work;  you  will  then  have  something  that 
the  world  cannot  give  you. 

When  this  young  lady  went  back  to  her  home  the 
parents  were  anxious  that  she  should  go  out  into 
worldly  society.  They  gave  a  great  many  parties,  but, 
to  their  great  amazement,  they  could  not  get  her  inter- 
ested. She  was  hungering  for  something  else.  She 
went  to  the  Sabbath-school  in  connection  with  the 
church  she  attended,  and  asked  the  Superintendent  to 
give  her  a  class.  He  said  there  were  really  more  teach- 
ers than  he  needed. 

She  tried  for  weeks  to  find  something  to  do  for  Christ. 
One  day  as  she  was  walking  down  the  street,  she  saw  a 
little  boy  coming  out  of  a  shoemaker's  shop.  The  man 
had  a  wooden  last  in  his  hand,  and  he  was  running  as 
fast  as  he  could  after  the  boy.  When  he  found  he 
could  not  overtake  him,  he  hurled  the  last  at  him  and 
hit  him  in  the  back.  AYhen  the  shoemaker  had  picked 
up  his  last  and  gone  back  to  his  shop,  the  boy  stopped 
running  and   began  to  cry.      The  scene  touched  the 


''SHE  HATH  DONE  WHAT  SHE  COULDr       113 

heart  of  this  young  lady.   When  she  got  up  to  him  she 
stopped  and  spoke  to  him  kindly. 

'•  Do  you  go  to  the  Sabbath-school?  "  "  No." 
" Do  you  go  to  the  day-school?  "  "  No." 
"  AVhat  makes  you  cry  ?  "  He  thought  she  was  going 
to  make  sport  of  him,  so  he  said  it  was  none  of  her 
business.  "  But  I  am  your  friend,"  she  said.  He  was 
not  in  the  habit  of  having  a  young  lady  like  that  speak 
to  him ;  at  first  he  was  afraid  of  her,  but  at  last  she  won 
his  confidence.  Finally,  she  asked  him  to  come  to  the 
Sabbath-school,  and  be  in  her  class.  No,  he  said,  he 
didn't  like  study ;  he  would  not  come.  She  said  she  would 
not  ask  him  to  study ;  she  would  tell  him  beautiful  sto- 
ries and  there  would  be  nice  singing.  At  last  he  promised 
that  he  would  come.  He  was  to  meet  her  on  Sabbath 
morning,  at  the  corner  of  a  certain  street. 

She  was  not  sure  .that  he  would  keep  his  promise, 
but  she  was  there  at  the  appointed  time,  and  he  was 
there  too.  She  took  him  to  the  school  and  said  to  the 
Superintendent:  "  Can  you  give  me  a  place  where  I 
can  teach  this  boy  ?  "  He  had  not  combed  his  hair,  and 
he  was  barefooted.  They  did  not  have  any  of  that  kind  of 
children  in  the  school,  so  the  Superintendent  looked  at 
him,  and  said  he  did  not  know  just  where  to  put  him. 
Finally  he  put  him  away  in  a  corner,  as  far  as  he  could 
from  the  others.  There  this  young  lady  commenced 
her  work — work  that  the  angels  would  have  been  glad 
to  do. 

He  went  home   and  told  his  mother  he  thought  he 

had  been  among  the  angels.     AYhen  the  mother  found 

he  was  going  to  a  Protestant  school  she  told  him   he 

must  not  go  again.     When  the  father  got  to  know  it, 

8 


114  "TO  THE  WORK!'' 

he  said  he  would  flog  him  every  time  he  went  to  the 
school.  However,  the  boy  went  again  the  next  Sabbath, 
and  the  father  flogged  him ;  every  time  he  went  he  gave 
the  poor  boy  a  flogging.  At  last  he  said  to  his 
father:  "I  wish  you  would  flog  me  before  I  go,  and 
then  I  won't  be  thinking  about  it  all  the  time  I  am  at 
the  school."  You  laugh  at  it,  but,  dear  friends,  let  us 
remember  that  gentleness  and  love  will  break  down 
the  opposition  in  the  hardest  heart.  These  little  dia- 
monds will  sparkle  in  the  Sa\dor's  crown,  if  we  will  but 
search  them  out  and  polish  them.  We  cannot  make  dia- 
monds, but  we  can  polish  them  if  we  will. 

Finding  that  the  flogging  did  not  stop  the  boy  from 
going  to  the  school,  the  father  said:  "  If  you  will  give 
up  the  Sabbath-school,  I  will  give  you  every  Saturday 
afternoon  to  play,  or  you  can  have  all  you  make  by 
peddling."  The  boy  went  to  his  teacher  and  said:  "I 
have  been  thinking  that  if  you  could  meet  me  on  the 
Saturday  afternoon  we  would  have  longer  time  together 
than  on  the  Sabbath."  I  wonder  if  there  is  a  wealthy 
young  lady  reading  this  book  who  would  give  up  her 
Saturday  afternoons  to  teach  a  poor  little  boy  the  way 
into  the  kingdom  of  God.  She  said  she  would  gladly 
do  it;  if  any  callers  came  she  was  always  engaged  on 
Saturdays.  It  was  not  long  before  the  light  broke  into 
the  darkened  mind  of  the  boy,  and  a  change  came  into 
his  life.  She  got  him  some  good  clothes  and  took  an 
interest  in  him ;  she  was  a  guardian  angel  to  him.  One 
day  he  was  down  at  the  railway  station  peddling.  He 
Was  standing  on  the  platform  of  the  carriage,  when  the 
engine  gave  a  sudden  start;  the  little  fellow  was  lean- 
ing on  the  edge,  and  his  foot  slipped  so  that  he  fell 


''SHE  HATH  DONE  WHAT  SHE  COULD.'        115 

down  and  the  train  passed  over  his  legs.  AVhen  the 
doctor  came,  the  first  thing  he  said  was:  "Doctor,  will 
I  live  to  get  home?  "  "No,  my  boy,  you  are  dying." 
"  Will  you  tell  my  father  and  mother  that  I  died  a 
Christian?"  Did  not  the  teacher  get  Avell  paid  for  her 
work?  She  will  be  no  stranger  when  she  goes  to  the 
better  land.  That  little  boy  will  be  waiting  to  give  her 
a  welcome. 

It  is  a  great  thing  to  lead  one  soul  from  the  darkness 
of  sin  into  the  glorious  light  of  the  Gospel.  I  believe 
if  an  angel  were  to  wing  his  way  from  earth  up  to 
heaven,  and  were  to  say  that  there  was  one  poor,  ragged 
boy,  without  father  or  mother,  with  no  one  to  care  for 
him  and  teach  him  the  way  of  life ;  and  if  God  were  to 
ask  who  among  them  was  willing  to  come  down  to  this 
earth  and  live  here  for  fifty  years  and  lead  that  one  to 
Jesus  Christ,  every  angel  in  heaven  would  volunteer  to 
go.  Even  Gabriel,  who  stands  in  the  presence  of  the 
Almighty,  would  say:  "  Let  me  leave  my  high  and  lofty 
position,  and  let  me  have  the  luxury  of  leading  one  soul 
to  Jesus  Christ."  There  is  no  greater  honor  than  to 
be  the  instrument  in  God's  hand  of  leading  one  per- 
son out  of  the  kingdom  of  Satan  into  the  glorious  light 
of  heaven. 

I  have  this  motto  in  my  Bible,  and  I  commend 
it  to  you:  "  Do  all  the  good  you  can;  to  all  the  people 
you  can ;  in  all  the  ways  you  can ;  and  as  long  as  ever 
you  can."  If  each  of  us  will  at  once  set  about  some 
work  for  God,  and  will  keep  at  it  365  days  in  the  year, 
then  a  good  deal  will  be  accomplished.  Let  us  so  live 
that  it  may  be  truthfully  said  of  us:  We  have  done 
what  we  could. 


116  "  TO  THE  WORK  !  " 


CHAPTEE   VIII. 

WHO  IS  MY  NEIGHBOR?  ^^ 


You  have  no  doubt  frequently  read  the  story  of  the 
good  Samaritan.  In  this  parable  Christ  brings  before 
us  four  men.  He  draws  the  picture  so  vividly  that  the 
world  will  never  forget  it.  Too  often  when  we  read  the 
Scripture  narratives  they  do  not  come  home  to  our 
hearts,  and  it  is  not  long  before  we  forget  the 
lesson  that  the  Master  would  have  us  to  learn  and  to 
remember. 

We  find  that  when  Christ  was  on  the  earth  there 
was  a  class  of  people  who  gathered  round  Him  and 
were  continually  finding  fault  with  everything  He  said 
and  did.  AVe  read  that  on  this  occasion  a  lawyer  came 
asking  Him  what  ho  could  do  to  inherit  eternal  life. 
Our  Lord  told  him  to  keep  the  commandments — to  love 
the  Lord  with  all  his  heart,  and  his  neighbor  as  him- 
self. The  lawyer  then  wanted  to  know  who  was  his 
neighbor.  In  this  narrative  Christ  told  him  who  his 
neighbor  was,  and  what  it  was  to  love  him. 

It  seems  to  me  that  we  have  been  a  long  while  in 
finding  out  who  is  our  neighbor.  I  think  in  the  para- 
ble of  the  good  Samaritan  Christ  has  taught  us  very 
clearly  that  any  man  or  woman  who  is  in  need  of  our 
love  and  our  help — whether  temporal  or  spiritual — is 


"  WHO  IS  MY  NEIGHBOR  9"  117 

our  neighbor.  If  we  can  render  them  any  service  we 
are  to  do  it  in  the  name  of  our  Master. 

Here  we  have  brought  before  us  two  men,  each  of 
whom  passed  by  one  who  was  in  great  need — one  who 
had  fallen  among  the  thieves,  who  had  been  stripped, 
wounded,  and  left  there  to  die.  The  first  that  came 
down  that  road  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho  was  a  priest. 
As  he  went  along  the  highway  he  heard  a  cry  of  dis- 
tress, and  he  looked  to  see  who  was  txie  unfortunate 
man.  He  could  see  that  the  poor  sufferer  was  a  Jew; 
it  may  be  that  he  had  seen  him  in  the  temple  on  the 
Sabbath  day.  But  then  he  was  not  in  his  own  parish 
now.  His  work  was  in  the  temple,  and  it  was  over  for 
the  present.  He  was  a  professional  man,  and  he  had 
gone  through  all  that  was  required  of  him. 

He  was  in  a  great  hurry  to  get  down  to  Jericho.  It 
may  be  they  were  going  to  open  a  new  synagogue  there, 
and  he  was  to  dedicate  it.  A  very  important  business, 
and  of  course  he  could  not  stop  to  help  this  poor, 
wounded,  fallen  man.  So  he  passed  on.  It  may  be, 
as  he  went  along,  he  reasoned  with  himself  somewhat 
in  this  way:  "  I  wonder  why  God  ever  permitted  sin  to 
enter  the  world  at  all.  It  is  very  strange  that  man 
should  be  in  this  fallen  state."  Or  his  thoughts  may 
have  taken  another  turn,  and  he  said  to  himself  that 
when  he  got  down  to  Jericho  he  would  form  a  commit- 
tee to  look  after  these  unfortunate  brethren.  He  would 
give  something  toward  the  expenses.  Or  he  would 
try  and  get  a  policeman  to  go  and  look  after  those 
thieves  who  had  stripped  him. 

He  did  not  think  that  all  the  while  this  poor  wounded 
man  was  dying.     Most  likely  he  was  now  crying  for 


118  «  TO  THE  WORK  !  " 


water,  and  it  miglit  be  tliat  tliere  was  a  brook  running 
by,  witliin  a  few  rods  of  the  spot  where  he  lay.  Yet 
this  priest  never  stopped  to  give  him  a  drink.  All  his 
religion  was  in  his  head;  it  had  never  reached  his 
heart.  The  one  thought  in  his  mind  was  duty,  duty; 
and  when  he  had  got  through  that  which  he  considered 
his  duty,  he  fancied  his  work  was  done.  God  wants 
heart  service ;  if  we  do  not  give  Him  that,  we  can  ren- 
der to  Him  no  service  at  all. 

We  read  that  a  Levite  next  came  along  the  highway 
where  this  wounded  man  was  lying  in  his  helplessness. 
As  he  passed  along  he  also  heard  the  man's  cry  of  dis- 
tress. He  turned  aside  for  a  moment  to  look  at  the 
poor  fellow,  and  he  could  see  that  he  was  a  son  of  Abra- 
ham— a  brother  Jew.  But  he  also  must  hasten  on  to 
Jericho.  Possibly  he  had  to  help  in  the  ceremony  of 
opening  the  new  synagogue.  Perhaps  there  was  going 
to  be  a  convention  down  there,  on  "How  to  reach  the 
masses,"  and  he  was  going  to  help  discuss  the  point. 
I  have  noticed  that  many  men  now-a-days  will  go  to  a 
conference  and  talk  for  hours  on  that  subject,  but  they 
will  not  themselves  lift  a  hand  to  reach  the  masses. 

The  Levite' s  thoughts  probably  took  another  turn, 
and  he  said  to  himself:  "I  will  see  if  I  can't  get  a  bill 
through  the  Legislature  to  prevent  those  thieves  from 
robbing  and  wounding  people."  There  are  some  now 
who  think  they  can  legislate  men  back  to  God — that 
they  can  prevent  sin  by  legislation.  Like  the  priest, 
this  Levite  never  stopped  to  give  the  poor  fellow  a.drop 
of  water  to  quench  his  thirst;  he  never  attempted  to 
bind  up  his  wounds  or  to  help  him  in  any  way.  He 
passed  along  the  highway,  doubtless,  saying  to  himself, 


"  WHO  IS  MY  NEIGHBOR?'*  119 

"  I  pity  that  poor  fellow."  There  is  a  good  deal  of 
that  kind  of  pity  now-a-days;  but  it  comes  only  from 
the  lips,  not  from  the  heart. 

The  next  one  to  come  along  that  road  was  a  Samari- 
tan. Now  it  was  notorious  that  in  those  days  a  Jew 
would  not  speak  to  a  Samaritan;  the  very  presence  of 
the  latter  was  pollution  to  an  orthodox  Jew.  No  Jew 
ever  entered  the  habitation  of  the  hated  Samar^'tan;  he 
would  not  eat  at  his  table  or  drink  from  his  well. 
Neither  would  he  allow  a  Samaritan  to  come  under  his 
roof.  No  religious  Jew  would  even  buy  from  a  Samari- 
tan, or  sell  to  him.  You  know  a  Jew  must  have  a  very 
poor  opinion  of  a  man  if  he  will  not  do  business  with 
him,  when  there  is  a  prospect  of  making  something  out 
of  him. 

Not  only  was  this  the  case,  but  the  Jews  considered 
that  the  Samaritans  had  no  souls ;  that  when  they  died 
they  would  be  annihilated.  Their  graves  would  be  so 
deep  that  not  even  the  sound  of  Gabriel's  trump  would 
wake  them  on  the  resurrection  morning.  He  was  the 
only  man  under  heaven  who  could  not  become  a  prose- 
lyte to  the  Jewish  faith,  and  become  a  member  of  the 
Jewish  family.  Repentance  was  denied  him  in  this 
life  and  the  life  to  come.  He  might  profess  the  Jew- 
ish religion ;  they  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  him. 
That  was  the  way  in  which  they  looked  upon  these 
men;  yet  Christ  used  the  despised  Samaritan  to  teach 
these  bitter  Jews  the  lesson  of  love  to  their  neighbor. 

The  Samaritan  came  that  way.  It  says  in  the  nar- 
rative that  the  priest  came  down  that  way  "by  chance;" 
but  we  are  not  told  that  the  Samaritan  came  by  chance. 
He  represents  our  Lord  and  Master.     We  are  told  that 


120  "  TO  THE  WORK  /" 

he  came  to  where  the  poor  wounded  man  was;  he  got 
off  the  beast  on  which  he  was  riding  and  stooped  right 
down  there  by  the  side  of  the  sick  man.  He  looked  at 
him  and  saw  that  he  was  a  Jew.  If  he  had  been  like 
the  Jews  themselves,  he  would  most  likely  have  said, 
"Serve  you  right.  I  only  wish  the  thieves  had  killed 
you  outright.  I  would  not  lift  a  finger  to  help  you, 
you  poor  wretched  Samaritan."  But  no'  not  a  word  of 
condemnation  or  blame  did  he  utter. 

Let  us  learn  a  lesson  from  this.  Do  you  think  these 
drunkards  need  any  one  to  condemn  them  ?  There  is 
no  one  in  the  wide  world  who  can  condemn  them  as 
they  condemn  themselves.  What  they  need  is  sym- 
pathy— tenderness,  gentleness  and  kindness.  This 
Samaritan  did  not  pull  a  manuscript  out  of  his  pocket, 
and  begin  to  read  a  long  sermon  to  the  wounded  man. 
Some  people  seem  to  think  that  all  the  world  needs  is 
a  lot  of  sermons.  Why,  the  people  of  this  land  have 
been  almost  preached  to  death.  What  we  want  is  to 
preach  more  sermons  with  our  hands  and  feet — to  carry 
the  Gospel  to  the  people  by  acts  of  kindness. 

Neither  did  he  read  this  poor  Jew  a  long  lecture, 
endeavoring  to  prove  that  science  was  better  than  re- 
ligion. He  did  not  give  him  a  long  address  on  geology ; 
what  could  that  do  for  him?  What  the  poor  man 
needed  was  sympathy  and  help.  So  the  first  thing  the 
good  Samaritan  did  was  to  pour  oil  into  his  wounds. 
How  many  wounded  men  there  are  in  our  midst  who 
have  need  of  the  oil  of  pity  and  sympathy.  A  good 
many  Christians  seem  always  to  carry  about  with  them 
a  bottle  of  vinegar,  which  they  bring  out  on  all  occa- 
sions. 


'•  WHO  IS  MY  NEIGHBOR  9  "  121 

The  Samaritan  might  have  said  to  the  man:  "Why 
did  you  not  stay  at  Jerusalem  ?  What  business  had 
you  to  come  down  this  road,  any  way,  giving  all  this 
trouble?"  So  people  will  sometimes  say  to  a  young 
man  who  has  come  to  the  city  and  got  into  trouble: 
"  Why  did  you  ever  leave  your  home  and  come  to  this 
wicked  city  ?  "  They  begin  to  scold  and  upbraid.  You 
are  never  going  to  reach  men  and  do  them  good  in 
that  way;  or  by  putting  yourself  on  a  high  platform; 
you  have  to  come  down  to  them  and  enter  into  their 
sorrows  and  troubles.  See  how  this  Samaritan  "  came 
to  where  he  was,"  and  instead  of  lecturing  him,  poured 
the  healing  oil  into  his  wounds. 

You  observe  there  are  twelve  things  mentioned  in 
the  narrative  that  the  Samaritan  did.  We  can  dismiss 
in  a  word  all  that  the  priest  and  the  Levite  did — they 
did  nothing. 

(1.)     He  "  came  to  where  he  was." 

(2.)  He  "  saw  him;"  he  did  not,  like  the  priest,  pass 
by  on  the  other  side. 

(3.)  He  "had  compassion  on  him."  If  we  would 
be  successful  winners  of  souls  we,  too,  must  be  moved 
with  compassion  for  the  lost  and  the  perishing.  We 
must  sympathize  with  men  in  their  sorrows  and  trou- 
bles, if  we  would  hope  to  gain  their  affections  and  to  do 
them  good. 

(4.)  He  "went  to  him,"  The  Levite  went  foivard 
him,  but  we  are  told  that  he,  as  well  as  the  priest,  "passed 
by  on  the  other  side." 

(5.)  He  "bound  up  his  wounds."  Perhaps  he  had 
to  tear  up  his  own  garments  in  order  to  bind  them 
up. 


122  "  TO  THE  WORK  /'* 

(6.)  He  poured  in  oil  and  gave  some  wine  to  the 
fainting  man. 

(7.)  He  "set  him  on  his  own  beast."  Do  you  not 
think  that  this  poor  Jew  must  have  looked  with  grati- 
tude and  tenderness  on  the  Samaritan,  as  he  was  placed 
on  the  beast,  while  his  deliverer  walked  by  his  side? 
All  the  prejudice  in  his  heart  must  have  disappeared 
long  before  they  got  to  the  end  of  their  joii_ney. 

(8.)      He  "brought  him  to  an  inn." 

(9. )  He  "  took  care  of  him."  I  was  greatly  touched 
at  hearing  of  a  Christian  worker  in  one  of  the  districts 
in  London  where  we  were,  who  met  with  a  drinking 
man  at  the  meeting.  He  saw  that  the  man  was  in 
drink,  so  he  took  him  home  and  stayed  all  night  with 
him;  then,  when  he  got  sober  the  next  morning,  he 
talked  with  him.  Many  are  willing  enough  to  talk 
with  drunkards  when  they  are  sober,  but  how  few  there 
are  who  will  go  and  hunt  them  up  when  they  are  in 
their  fallen  condition,  and  stay  with  them  till  they  can 
be  reasoned  with  about  their  salvation. 

(10.)  When  he  departed  on  the  morrow,  the  good 
Samaritan  asked  the  host  to  care  for  him. 

(11.)      He  gave  him  some  money  to  pay  the  bill. 

(12.)  He  said:  "Whatever  thou  spendest  more, 
when  I  come  again  I  will  repay  thee." 

There  is  nothing  I  think  in  all  the  teachings  of 
Christ  that  brings  out  the  whole  Gospel  better  than 
this  parable.  It  is  a  perfect  picture  of  Christ  coming 
down  to  this  world  to  seek  and  save  the  lost. 

(1.)  He  came  to  this  world  of  sin  and  sorrow  where 
we  were,  laying  by  His  glory  for  the  time,  that  He 
might  assume  our  human  nature,  and  put  Himself  on 
a  level  with  those  He  came  to  save. 


"  WHO  IS  MY  NEIGHBOR? '»  123 

(2.)  He  mingled  with  the  poor  and  needy  so  that 
He  might  see  their  condition. 

(3.)  He  was  "moved  with  compassion"  for  the 
multitudes ;  how  often  thi«  is  recorded  in  the  Gospels. 
We  are  told,  on  more  than  one  occasion,  that  He  wept 
as  He  thought  of  all  the  woe  and  distress  that  sin  had 
brought  upon  the  human  family. 

(4.)  AVherever  Jesus  Christ  heard  of  a  case  of 
sorrow  or  need  He  went  at  once.  No  cry  of  distress 
ever  reached  His  ears  in  vain. 

(5.)  On  one  occasion  He  read  from  the  prophets 
concerning  Himself,  "  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon 
me  ....  because  the  Lord  hath  ....  sent  me  to 
bind  up  the  broken-hearted."  He  Himself  was 
wounded,  that  the  wounds  which  sin  had  made  in  us 
might  be  bound  up  and  healed. 

( 6. )  He  not  only  comforted  the  sorrowing,  but  gave 
the  promise  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  Who  was  to  bring  com- 
fort and  strength  to  His  redeemed  people. 

(7.)  As  the  good  Samaritan  set  the  wounded  man 
on  his  own  beast,  so  the  Savior  gives  us  the  unfailing 
promise  of  His  word  on  which  we  may  rest  during  our 
pilgrim  journey.  He  Himself  has  promised  to  be  with 
us  in  spirit  by  the  way. 

(8.)  He  brings  us  to  the  place  of  rest — rest  in  His 
love,  in  His  willingness  to  save,  in  His  power  to  keep. 
At  the  last  He  will  bring  us  to  the  home  of  everlasting 
rest. 

(9.)  When  He  was  on  the  earth  He  took  a  per- 
sonal interest  in  all  that  concerned  His  disciples,  and 

(10.)  When  He  had  gone  up  on  high  He  sent  an- 
other Comforter  who  should  abide  with  the  Church. 


124  "  TO  THE  WORK  !  " 

(11.)  He  has  furnislied  the  Church  with  all  that  is 
needful  for  her  support  and  growth  in  grace. 

(12.)  He  will  come  again  and  reward  His  servants 
for  all  their  faithful  service. 

Do  you  want  to  know  how  you  can  reach  the  masses  ? 
Go  to  their  homes  and  enter  into  sympathy  with  them ; 
tell  them  you  have  come  to  do  them  good,  and  let  them 
see  that  you  have  a  heart  to  f  sel  for  them.  AVhen 
they  find  out  that  you  really  love  them,  all  those  things 
that  are  in  their  hearts  against  God  and  against  Chris- 
tianity will  be  swept  out  of  the  way.  Atheists  may  tell 
them  that  you  only  want  to  get  their  money,  and  that 
you  do  not  really  care  for  their  happiness.  We  have 
to  contradict  that  lie  by  our  lives,  and  send  it  back 
to  the  pit  where  it  came  from. 

We  are  not  going  to  do  it  unless  we  go  personally 
to  them  and  prove  that  we  really  love  them.  There  are 
hundreds  and  thousands  of  families  that  could  easily 
be  reached  if  we  had  thousands  of  Christians  going  to 
them  and  entering  into  sympathy  with  their  sorrows. 
That  is  what  they  want.  This  poor  world  is  groaning 
and  sighing  for  sympathy — human  sympathy.  I  am 
quite  sure  it  was  that  in  Christ's  life  which  touched  the 
hearts  of  the  common  people.  He  made  Himself  one 
with  them.  He  who  was  rich  for  our  sakes  became 
poor.  He  was  born  in  the  manger  so  that  He  might 
put  himself  on  a  level  with  the  lowest  of  the  low. 

I  think  that  in  this  matter  He  teaches  His  disciples 
a  lesson.  He  wants  us  to  convince  the  world  that  He 
is  their  friend.  They  do  not  believe  it.  If  once  the 
world  were  to  grasp  this  thought,  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  the  Friend  of  the  sinner,  they  would  soon  flock  to 


"  WHO  IS  MY  NEIGHBOR?  "  125 

Him.  I  am  sure  that  ninety-nine  in  every  hundred  of 
those  out  of  Christ  think  that,  instead  of  loving  them, 
God  hates  them.  How  are  they  to  find  out  their  mis- 
take? They  do  not  attend  our  churches;  and  if  they 
did  there  are  many  places  where  they  would  not  hear 
it.  Do  you  think  that  if  those  poor  harlots  walking 
the  streets  of  our  cities  really  believed  that  Jesus 
Christ  loved  them  and  wanted  to  be  their  friend — that 
if  He  were  here  in  person  He  would  not  condemn  them, 
but  would  take  sides  with  them,  and  try  to  lift  them 
up — they  would  go  on  in  their  sins?  Do  you  think 
the  poor  drunkard  who  reels  along  the  street  really 
believes  that  Christ  is  his  friend  and  loves  him?  The 
Scripture  plainly  teaches  that  though  Christ  hates  sin 
He  loves  the  sinner.  This  story  of  the  good  Samari- 
tan is  given  to  teach  us  this  lesson.  Let  us  publish 
abroad  the  good  news  that  Christ  loves  sinners,  and 
came  into  the  world  that  He  might  save  them. 

There  was  a  man  who  lived  in  one  of  our  large  cities. 
He  died  quite  suddenly,  and  it  was  not  long  before  his 
wife  followed  him  to  the  grave.  They  left  two  boys, 
and  there  was  a  wealthy  citizen  who  took  the  more 
promising  of  the  boys  and  adopted  him.  The  other 
boy  was  placed  in  the  orphan  asylum.  He  had  never 
been  away  from  his  father  and  mother  during  their 
lives,  and  he  had  not  been  separated  from  his  brother 
before.  Every  night  he  would  go  to  sleep  crying  for 
his  brother^  One  night  they  could  not  find  him.  Next 
morning  he  was  found  under  the  steps  of  the  house  of 
the  wealthy  banker  who  had  adopted  his  little  brother. 
When  they  asked  him  why  he  had  left  a  good  comfort- 
able bed  at  the  orphan  home  and  stayed  out  there  all 


126  "  TO  THE  WORK  ! 


night  in  the  cold,  he  said  he  wanted  to  get  near  Charlie. 
He  knew  that  if  he  rang  the  bell  and  they  found  him 
at  the  door  they  would  send  him  back,  and  it  was  a 
comfort  to  him  to  be  near  Charlie,  even  if  he  had  to 
pass  the  night  out  there.  His  young  heart  was  craving 
for  sympathy,  and  he  knew  that  Charlie  loved  him  as 
no  one  else  in  the  world  did.  If  we  can  only  convince 
these  poor  lost  ones  that  some  on3  loves  them,  then 
their  hearts  will  be  moved. 

During  the  war  a  little  boy,  Frankie  Bragg,  was 
placed  in  one  of  the  hospitals.  He  said  it  was  so  hard 
to  be  there  away  from  all  those  who  loved  him.  The 
nurse  who  was  attending  him,  bent  down  and  kissed 
him,  and  said  she  loved  him.  "  Do  you  love  me?"  he 
said;  "kiss  me  again;  that  was  like  my  sister's  kiss." 
The  nurse  kissed  him  again,  and  he  said  with  a  smile: 
"It  is  not  hard  for  me  to  die  now,  when  I  know  that 
some  one  loves  me."  If  we  had  more  of  this  sympa- 
thy for  the  lost  and  the  sorrowing,  the  world  would  soon 
feel  our  influence.    « 

Shall  we  not  learn  a  lesson  from  the  good  Samari- 
tan? Let  us  hear  the  voice  of  the  Master  saying: 
"Go  thou  and  do  likewise."  We  can  all  do  something. 
If  we  cannot  reach  the  older  people,  let  us  try  and  win 
the  young.  It  is  a  blessed  privilege  to  be  used  of  God 
to  bring  one  little  lamb  into  the  kingdom.  If  we  are 
only  the  means  of  saving  one  child  our  life  will  not  be 
a  failure;  we  shall  hear  the  Master's  "Well  done,  good 
and  faithful  servant." 

A  lady  started  a  hospital  for  sick  crippled  children  in 
Edinburgh  two  years  ago.  I  Avas  asking  her  if  she  had 
been  blessed  in  the  work.     I  shall  not  forget  how  her 


•*  WHO  IS  MY  NEIGHBOR?  '*  127 

face  lit  up.  She  was  in  one  of  our  recent  meetings  in 
London,  and  her  face  was  beaming.  She  was  telling  of 
some  very  interesting  cases  of  conversion  among  the 
children.  What  a  privilege  it  is  to  lead  these  afflicted 
ones  into  the  kingdom  of  God. 

A  little  boy  was  brought  to  Edinburgh  from  Fife. 
There  was  no  room  in  the  children's  hospital,  and  he 
was  taken  to  the  general  hospital.  H  >  was  only  six 
years  old ;  his  father  was  dead ;  his  mother  was  sick,  so 
that  she  could  not  take  care  of  him,  and  he  had  to  be 
brought  to  the  hospital  in  Edinburgh.  My  friend,  Rev. 
George  Wilson,  went  in  one  day  and  sat  at  the  bedside 
of  the  little  sufferer.  He  was  telling  him  that  the  doc- 
tor was  coming  on  Thursday  to  take  off  his  little  leg. 
You  parents  can  imagine,  if  one  of  your  children,  six 
years  old,  away  from  home,  and  in  a  hospital,  were  told 
that  the  doctor  was  coming  on  a  certain  day  to  take 
his  leg  off,  how  he  would  suffer  at  the  thought.  The 
little  fellow,  of  course,  was  in  great  trouble  about  it. 
The  minister  wanted  to  know  about  his  mother ;  she  was 
sick  and  his  father  was  dead.  The  minister  wished  to 
comfort  him,  and  he  said:  "The  nurse  is  such  a  good 
woman;  she  will  help  you."  "  Yes,"  said  the  boy,  "and 
perhaps  Jesus  will  be  with  me."  Do  you  have  any 
doubt  of  it  ?  Next  Friday  the  man  of  God  went  to  the 
hospital,  but  he  found  the  cot  was  empty.  The  poor 
boy  was  gone;  the  Savior  had  come  and  taken  him  to 
His  bosom. 

In  our  great  cities  are  there  not  hundreds  and  thous- 
ands who  are  in  some  need  of  human  sympathy  ?  That 
will  speak  to  their  hearts  a  good  deal  louder  than  elo- 
quent sermons.     Many  will  not  be  moved  by  eloquent 


128  "  TO  THE  WORK  /" 

sermons,  wlio  would  yield  to  tenderness  and  gentleness 
and  sympathy. 

Said  the  great  Dr.  Chalmers:  "The  little  that  I 
have  seen  in  the  world,  and  know  of  the  history  of  man- 
kind, teaches  me  to  look  upon  their  errors  in  sorrow, 
not  in  anger.  When  I  take  the  one  poor  heart  that  has 
sinned  and  sufiered,  and  represent  to  myself  the  strug- 
gles and  temptations  it  has  p:  -sed  through ;  the  brief 
pulsation  of  joy;  the  tears  of  regret;  the  feebleness  of 
purpose ;  the  scorn  of  the  world  that  has  little  charity ; 
the  desolation  of  the  soul's  sanctuary  and  threatening 
voices  within;  health  gone — happiness  gone — I  would 
fain  leave  the  erring  squI  of  my  fellow-man  with  Him 
from  whose  hands  it  came." 

Some  of  you  may  say:  "  How  am  I  to  get  into  sym- 
pathy with  those  who  are  in  sorrow?"  That  is  a  very 
important  question.  Many  people  go  to  work  for  God, 
but  they  seem  to  do  it  in  such  a  professional  way.  I 
will  tell  you  how  you  can  be  brought  into  sympathy. 
I  have  found  this  rule  to  be  of  great  help  to  me.  Put 
yourself  in  the  place  of  the  sorrowing  and  afflicted  ones, 
with  whom  you  want  to  sympathize.  If  you  do  that 
you  will  soon  gain  their  affections  and  be  able  to  help 
them. 

God  taught  me  a  lesson  a  few  years  ago  that  I  shall 
never  forget.  I  was  Superintendent  of  a  Sunday-school 
in  Chicago  with  over  1,500  scholars.  In  the  months  of 
July  and  August  many  deaths  took  place  among  the 
children, .  and  as  most  of  the  ministers  were  out  of  the 
city  I  had  to  attend  a  great  many  funerals.  Some- 
times I  had  to  be  at  four  or  five  in  one  day.  I  was  so 
accustomed  to  it  that  I  got  to  do  it  almost  mechanically. 


"  WHO  IS  3IY  NEIGHBORS  "  129 

I  could  see  the  mother  take  her  last  look  at  the  child, 
and  see  the  coffin  lid  closed  without  being  moved  by  it. 

One  day  when  I  came  home  my  wife  told  me  that 
one  of  the  Sunday-school  children  had  been  drowned, 
and  the  mother  wanted  to  see  me.  I  took  my  little 
daughter  with  me  and  we  went  to  the  house.  I  found 
the  father  in  one  corner  of  the  room  drunk.  The 
mother  told  me  that  she  took  in  washing  in  order  to  get 
a  living  for  herself  and  her  children,  as  her  husband 
drank  up  all  his  wages.  Little  Adelaide  used  to  go  to 
the  river  and  gather  the  floating  wood  for  the  fire. 
That  day  she  had  gone  as  usual;  she  saw  a  piece  of 
wood  out  a  little  way  from  the  bank;  in  stretching  out 
to  reach  it  she  slipped,  and  fell  into  the  water  and  was 
drowned.  The  mother  told  me  her  sad  story ;  how  she 
had  no  money  to  buy  the  shroud  and  the  coffin,  and  she 
wanted  me  to  help  her.  I  took  out  my  note-book  and 
put  down  her  name  and  address,  and  took  the  measure 
of  the  coffin,  in  order  to  send  it  to  the  undertakers. 

The  poor  mother  was  much  distressed,  but  it  did  not 
seem  to  move  me.  I  told  her  I  would  be  at  the  funeral, 
and  then  I  left.  As  my  little  girl  walked  by.  my  side 
she  said  to  me:  "Papa,  suppose  we  were  very  poor, 
and  mamma  had  to  Avash  for  a  living,  and  I  had  to  go 
to  the  river  to  get  sticks  to  make  a  fire ;  if  I  were  to  fall 
into  the  water  and  get  drowned  would  you  feel  bad  ?" 
"Feel  bad!  Why,  my  child,  I  do  not  know  what  I 
should  do.  You  are  my  only  daughter,  and  if  you 
were  taken  from  me  I  think  it  would  break  my  heart." 
And  I  took  her  to  my  bosom  and  kissed  her.  "  Then 
did  you  feel  bad  for  that  mother?"  How  that  ques- 
tion cut  me  to  the  heart. 
9 


130  "  TO  THE  WORK  !  " 

I  went  back  to  the  house,  and  took  out  my  Bible  and 
read  to  the  mother  the  fourteenth  chapter  of  John.  Then 
I  prayed  with  her  and  endeavored  to  comfort  her.  AVhen 
the  day  for  the  funeral  arrived  I  attended  it.  I  had 
not  been  to  the  cemetery  for  a  good  many  years ;  I  had 
thought  my  time  was  too  precious,  as  it  was  some  miles 
away.  I  found  the  father  was  still  drunk.  I  had  got 
a  lot  in  the  strangers'  field  for  little  Adelaide.  As  we 
were  laying  the  coffin  in  the  grave  another  funeral  pro- 
cession came  up,  and  the  corpse  was  going  to  be  laid 
near  by.  Adelaide's  mother  said,  as  we  were  covering 
up  the  coffin:  "Mr.  Moody,  it  is  very  hard  to  lay  her 
away  among  strangers.  I  have  been  moving  about  a 
good  deal,  and  have  lived  among  strangers,  and  I  have 
never  had  a  burying-lot.  It  is  very  hard  to  place  my 
firstborn  among  strangers."  I  said  to  myself  that  it 
would  be  pretty  hard  to  have  to  bury  my  child  in  the 
strangers'  field.  I  had  got  into  full  sympathy  with  the 
poor  mother  by  this  time. 

Next  Sabbath  I  told  the  children  in  the  Sunday- 
school  what  had  taken  place.  I  suggested  that  we 
should  buy  a  Sunday-school  lot,  and  when  any  of  the 
children  attending  the  school  died,  they  would  not  be 
laid  in  the  strangers'  field,  but  would  be  put  in  our 
own  lot.  Before  we  could  get  the  title  made  out,  a 
mother  came  and  wanted  to  know  if  her  little  girl  who 
had  just  died  could  be  buried  in  the  lot.  I  told  her  I 
would  give  permission.  I  went  to  the  funeral,  and  as 
we  were  lowering  the  little  coffin  I  asked  what  was  the 
name.  She  said  it  was  Emma.  That  was  the  name  of 
my  own  little  girl,  and  I  could  not  help  but  weep  as  I 
thought  of  how  I  would  feel  if  it  were  my  own  Emma. 


"  WHO  IS  MY  NEIGHBOR?  "  131 

Do  you  tell  me  I  could  not  sympathize  with  that  be- 
reaved mother?  Very  soon  afterward,  another  mother 
came  and  wished  to  have  her  dead  child  buried  in  our 
lot.  She  told  me  his  name  was  Willie.  At  that  time 
that  was  the  name  of  my  only  boy,  and  I  thought  how 
it  would  be  with  me  if  it  were  my  Willie  who  was  dead. 
So  the  first  children  buried  there  bore  the  names  of  my 
two  children.  I  tried  to  put  myself  in  the  places  of 
these  sorrowing  mothers,  and  then  it  was  easy  for  me 
to  sympathize  wdtli  them  in  their  grief,  and  point  them 
to  Him  who  "  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes." 

About  the  first  thing  I  did  when  I  returned  to  Chi- 
cago nine  years  ago,  was  to  drive  up  to  and  see  our  chil- 
dren's lot.  I  thought  it  would  last  a  good  many  years, 
but  it  was  about  full,  for  many  of  my  old  Sabbath-school 
scholars  had  gone  while  I  had  been  away,  and  their 
bodies  were  resting  in  this  lot  till  the  great  day.  I 
understood,  how^ever,  that  the  children  6f  the  Sabbath- 
school  were  about  to  purchase  another  and  a  larger  lot 
which  would  suffice  for  many  years  under  ordinary  cir- 
cumstances,. Many  little  ones  are  laid  there,  waiting 
for  the  resurrection,  and  I  would  like  to  be  buried 
beside  them,  it  would  be  so  sweet  to  be  in  their  company 
when  we  rise  and  meet  our  Lord. 

Dear  friends,  if  you  would  get  into  full  sympathy 
with  others  put  yourself  in  their  places.  May  God  fill 
our  hearts  with  the  spirit  of  the  good  Samaritan,  so 
that  we  may  be  filled  with  tenderness  and  love  and  com- 
passion. 

I  want  to  give  you  a  motto  that  has  been  a  great 
help  to  me.     It  was  a  Quaker's  motto: 

"  I  expect  to  pass  through  this  world  but  once.     If, 


132  "TO  THE  WORK  I" 

therefore,  there  be  any  kindness  I  can  show  or  any 
good  thing  I  can  do  to  any  fellow  human  being  let  me 
do  it  now ;  let  me  not  defer  nor  neglect  it,  for  I  will  not 
pass  this  way  again." 

"  Must  I  my  brother  keep, 

And  share  his  pain  and  toil; 
And  weep  for  those  who  weep, 

And  smile  with  those  who  smile; 
And  act  to  each  a  brother's  part. 
And  feel  his  sorrows  in  my  heart? 

"  Must  I  his  burden  bear, 

As  though  it  were  my  own, 
And  do  as  I  would  care 

Should  to  myself  be  done; 
And  faithful  to  his  interests  prove, 
And  as  myself  my  neighbor  love? 

"Then,  Jesus,  at  Thy  feet 

A  student  let  me  be, 
And  learn,  as  it  is  meet, 

My  duty,  Lord,  of  Thee; 
For  Thou  didst  come  on  mercy's  plan, 
And  all  Thy  life  was  love  to  man. 

"  Oh!  make  me  as  Thou  art; 

Thy  spirit,  Lord,  bestow — 
The  kind  and  gentle  heart 

That  feels  another's  woe. 
May  I  be  thus  like  Christ  my  Head, 
And  in  my  Savior's  footsteps  tread! " 


«  YE  ARE  THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLD."       133 


CHAPTEK  IX. 

"YE  ARE  THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLD." 


"  They  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of 
the  firmament ;  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness 
as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever." 

That  is  the  testimony  of  an  old  man,  and  one  who 
had  the  richest  and  deepest  experience  of  any  man  liv- 
ing on  the  face  of  the  earth  at  the  time.  He  was  taken 
down  to  Babylon  when  a  young  man ;  some  Bible  stu- 
dents think  he  was  not  more  than  twenty  years  of  age. 
If  any  one  had  said,  when  this  young  Hebrew  was  car- 
ried away  into  captivity,  that  he  would  outrank  all  the 
mighty  men  of  that  day — that  all  the  generals  who  had 
been  victorious  in  almost  every  nation  at  that  time  were 
going  to  be  eclipsed  by  this  young  slave — probably  no 
one  would  have  believed  it.  Yet  for  ^Ye  hundred  years 
no  man  whose  life  is  recorded  in  history  shone  as  did 
this  man.  He  outshone  Nebuchadnezzar,  Belshazzar, 
Cyrus,  Darius,  and  all  the  princes  and  mighty  monarchs 
of  his  day. 

We  are  not  told  when  he  was  converted  to  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  true  God,  but  I  think  we  have  good  reason 
to  believe  that  he  had  been  brought  under  the  influence 
of  Jeremiah  the  prophet.  Evidently  some  earnest.  Godly 
man,    and    no  worldly    professor,    had  made  a   deep 


134  "  TO  THE  WORK  !  " 

impression  upon  him.  Some  had  at  any  rate  taught 
him  how  he  was  to  serve  God. 

We  hear  people  nowadays  talking  about  the  hard- 
ness of  the  field  where  they  labor ;  they  say  their  po- 
sition is  a  very  peculiar  one.  Think  of  the  field  in 
which  Daniel  had  to  work.  He  was  not  only  a  slave, 
but  he  was  held  captive  by  a  nation  that  detested  the 
Hebrews.  The  language  was  unknown  to  him.  There 
he  was  among  idolaters ;  yet  he  commenced  at  once  to 
shine.  He  took  his  stand  for  God  from  the  very  first, 
and  so  he  went  on  through  his  whole  life.  He  gave 
the  dew  of  his  youth  to  God,  and  he  continued  faithful 
right  on  till  his  pilgrimage  was  ended. 

Notice  that  all  those  who  have  made  a  deep  impression 
on  the  world,  and  have  shone  most  brightly,  have  been 
men  who  lived  in  a  dark  day.  Look  at  Joseph ;  he  was 
sold  as  a  slave  into  Egypt  by  the  Ishmaelites;  yet  he 
took  his  God  with  him  into  captivity,  as  Daniel 
afterward  did.  And  he  remained  true  to  the  last;  he 
did  not  give  up  his  faith  because  he  had  been  taken 
away  from  home  and  placed  among  idolaters.  He  stood 
firm,  and  God  stood  by  him. 

Look  at  Moses,  who  turned  his  back  upon  the  gilded 
palaces  of  Egypt,  and  identified  himself  with  his  de- 
spised and  down-trodden  nation.  If  a  man  ever  had  a 
hard  field  it  was  Moses ;  yet  he  shone  brightly,  and  never 
proved  unfaithful  to  his  God. 

Elijah  lived  in  a  far  darker  day  than  we  do.  The 
whole  nation  was  going  over  to  idolatry.  Ahab,  and 
his  queen,  and  all  the  royal  court  were  throwing  their 
influence  against  the  worship  of  the  true  God.  Yet 
Elijah  stood  firm,  and  shone  brightly  in  that  dark  and 


«  YE  ARE  THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLD:'        135 

evil  day.     How  liis  name  stands  out  on  the  page  of 
history ! 

Look  at  John  the  Baptist,  I  used  to  think  I  would 
like  to  live  in  the  days  of  the  prophets ;  but  I  have  given 
up  that  idea.  You  may  be  sure  that  when  a  prophet 
appears  on  the  scene,  everything  is  dark,  and  the  pro- 
fessing Church  of  God  has  gone  over  to  the  service  of 
the  god  of  this  world.  So  it  was  when  John  the 
Baptist  made  his  appearance.  See  how  his  name  shines 
out  to-day !  Eighteen  centuries  have  rolled  away,  and 
yet  the  fame  of  that  wilderness  preacher  shines  brighter 
than  ever.  He  was  looked  down  upon  in  his  day  and 
generation,  but  he  has  outlived  all  his  enemies;  his 
name  will  be  reverenced  and  his  work  remembered  as 
long  as  the  Church  is  on  the  earth. 

Talk  about  your  field  being  a  hard  one!  See  how 
Paul  shone  for  God  as  he  went  out,  the  first  missionary 
to  the  heathen,  telling  them  of  the  God  whom  he  served, 
and  Who  had  sent  His  Son  to  die  a  cruel  death  in 
order  to  save  the  world.  Men  reviled  him  and  his  teach- 
ings; they  laughed  him  to  scorn  when  he  spoke  of 
the  Crucified  One.  But  he  went  on  preaching  the  Gos- 
pel of  the  Son  of  God.  He  was  regarded  as  a  poor 
tent-maker  by  the  great  and  mighty  ones  of  his  day; 
but  no  one  can  now  tell  the  name  of  any  of  his  perse- 
cutors, or  of  those  who  lived  at  that  time,  unless  their 
names  happen  to  be  associated  with  his,  and  they  were 
brought  into  contact  with  him. 

Now  the  fact  is,  all  men  like  to  shine.  We  may  as 
well  acknowledge  it  at  once.  You  go  into  business  cir- 
cles and  see  how  men  struggle  to  get  into  the  front 
rank.   Every  one  wants  to  outshine  his  neighbor  and  to 


136  "  TO  THE  WORK  /" 

stand  at  the  head  of  his  profession.  Go  into  the  polit- 
ical world  and  see  how  there  is  a  struggle  going  on  as 
to  who  shall  be  the  greatest.  If  you  go  into  a  school 
you  find  that  there  is  a  rivalry  among  the  boys  and 
girls.  They  all  want  to  stand  at  the  top  of  the  class. 
When  a  boy  does  reach  this  position  and  outranks  all 
the  rest  the  mother  is  very  proud  of  it.  She  will  man- 
age to  tell  all  the  neighbors  how  Johnnie  has  got  on, 
and  what  a  number  of  prizes  he  has  gained. 

You  go  into  the  army  and  you  find  the  same  thing — 
one  trying  to  outstrip  the  other ;  every  one  is  very  anx- 
ious to  shine  and  rise  above  his  comrades.  Go  among 
the  young  men  in  their  games  and  see  how  anxious  the 
one  is  to  outdo  the  other.  So  we  have  all  that  desire 
in  us;  we  like  to  shine  above  our  fellows. 

And  yet  there  are  very  few  who  can  really  shine  in 
the  world.  Once  in  a  while  one  man  will  outstrip  all 
his  competitors.  Every  four  years  what  a  struggle  goes 
on  throughout  our  country  as  to  who  shall  be  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  the  battle  raging  for 
six  months  or  a  year.  Yet  only  one  man  can  get  the 
prize.  There  a  good  many  struggling  to  get  the  place, 
but  many  are  disappointed,  because  only  one  can  attain 
the  coveted  prize.  But  in  the  kingdom  of  God  the  very 
least  and  the  very  weakest  may  shine  if  they  will.  Not 
only  can  one  obtain  the  prize,  but  all  may  have  it  if 
they  will. 

It  does  not  say  in  this  passage  that  the  Statesmen  are 
going  to  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament. 
The  Statesmen  of  Babylon  are  gone;  their  very  names 
are  forgotten. 

It  does  not  say  that  the  nobility  are  going  to  shine. 


«  YE  ARE  THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLD."        137 

Earth's  nobility  are  soon  forgotten.  John  Bunyan,  the 
Bedford  tinker,  has  outlive  1  the  whole  crowd  of  those 
who  were  the  nobility  in  his  day.  They  lived  for  self, 
and  their  memory  is  blotted  out.  He  lived  for  God  and 
for  souls,  and  his  name  is  as  fragrant  as  ever  it  was. 

We  are  not  told  that  the  merchants  are  going  to 
shine.  AVho  can  tell  the  name  of  any  of  the  million- 
aires of  Daniel's  day?  They  were  all  buried  in  obliv- 
ion a  few  years  after  their  death.  AVho  were  the  mighty 
conquerors  of  that  day?  But  few  can  tell.  It  is  true 
that  we  hear  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  but  probably  we 
should  not  have  known  very  much  about  him  but  for 
his  relations  to  the  prophet  Daniel. 

How  different  with  this  faithful  prophet  of  the  Lord. 
Twenty-five  centuries  have  passed  away,  and  his  name 
shines  on,  and  on,  and  on,  brighter  and  brighter.  And 
it  is  going  to  shine  while  the  Church  of  God  exists. 
"  They  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of 
the  firmament;  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteous- 
ness as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever." 

How  quickly  the  glory  of  this  world  fades  away! 
Seventy-five  years  ago  the  great  Napoleon  almost  made 
the  earth  to  tremble.  How  he  blazed  and  shone  as  an 
earthly  warrior  for  a  little  while!  A  few  years  passed, 
and  a  little  island  held  that  once  proud  and  mighty 
conqueror;  he  died  as  a  poor  broken-hearted  prisoner. 
Where  is  he  to-day?  Almost  forgotten.  Who  in  all 
the  world  will  say  that  Napoleon  lives  in  their  heart's 
affections  ? 

But  look  at  this  despised  and  hated  Hebrew  prophet. 
They  wanted  to  put  him  into  the  lions'  den  because  he 
was  too  sanctimonious  and  too  religious.     Yet  see  how 


138  "  TO  THE  WORK  ! 

green  his  memory  is  to-day!  How  his  name  is  loved 
and  honored  for  his  faithfulness  to  his  God. 

Seventeen  years  ago  I  was  in  Paris  at  the  time  of  the 
Great  Exhibition.  Napoleon  the  Tliird  was  then  in  his 
glory.  Cheer  after  cheer  would  rise  up  as  he  drove 
along  the  streets  of  the  city.  A  few  short  years  and 
he  fell  from  his  lofty  estate.  He  died  an  exile  from 
his  country  and.  his  throne,  and  where  is  his  name  to- 
day ?  Very  few  think  about  him  at  all,  and  if  his  name 
is  mentioned  it  is  not  with  love  and  esteem.  How 
empty  and  short-lived  are  the  glory  and  the  pride  of 
this  world!  If  we  are  wise  we  will  live  for  God  and 
eternity ;  we  will  get  outside  of  ourselves,  and  will  care 
nothing  for  the  honor  and  glory  of  this  world. 

In  Proverbs  we  read:  "He  that  winneth  souls  is 
wise."  If  any  man,  woman,  or  child  by  a  Godly  life 
and  example  can  win  one  soul  to  God,  their  life  will  not 
have  been  a  failure.  They  will  have  outshone  all  the 
mighty  men  of  their  day,  because  they  will  have  set  a 
stream  in  motion  that  will  flow  on  and  on  for  ever  and 
ever.  That  little  boy  may  shine  in  God's  kingdom  if 
he  will. 

God  has  left  us  down  here  to  shine.  We  are  not 
here  to  buy  and  sell  and  get  gain,  to  accumulate  wealth, 
to  acquire  worldly  position.  This  earth,  if  we  are 
Christians,  is  not  our  home ;  it  is  up  yonder.  God  has 
sent  us  into  the  world  to  shine  for  Him — to  light  up 
this  dark  world.  Christ  came  to  be  the  Light  of  the 
world,  but  men  put  out  that  light.  They  took  it  to 
Calvary  and  blew  it  out.  Before  Christ  went  up  on 
high  He  said  to  His  disciples:  "Ye  are  the  light 
of  the  world.       Ye  are  my  witnesses.       Go  forth   and 


"  YE  ARE  THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLD."       139 

carry  the  Gospel  to  the  perishing  nations  of  the 
earth." 

So  God  has  called  us  to  shine,  just  as  much  as  Daniel 
was  sent  into  Babylon  to  shine.  Let  no  man  or  woman 
say  that  they  cannot  shine  because  they  have  not  so 
much  influence  as  some  others  may  have.  What  God 
wants  you  to  do  is  to  use  the  influence  you  h?ve. 
Daniel  probably  did  not  have  much  influence  down  in 
Babylon  at  first,  but  God  soon  gave  him  more,  because 
he  was  faithful  and  used  what  he  had. 

Remember  a  small  light  will  do  a  good  deal  when  it 
is  in  a  very  dark  place.  You  put  one  little  tallow  can- 
dle in  the  middle  of  a  large  hall,  and  it  will  give  a  good 
deal  of  light. 

Away  out  in  the  prairie  regions,  when  meetings  are 
held  at  night  in  the  log  school-houses,  the  announce- 
ment of  the  meeting  is  given  out  in  this  way:  "  A  meet- 
ing will  be  held  by  early  candle-light."  The  first  man 
who  comes  brings  a  tallow-dip  with  him.  It  is  perhaps 
all  he  has;  but  he  brings  it  and  sets  it  on  the  desk. 
It  does  not  light  the  building  much ;  but  it  is  better 
than  none  at  all.  The  next  man  brings  his  candle ;  and 
the  next  family  bring  their  candles.  By  the  time  the 
house  is  full,  there  is  plenty  of  light.  So  if  we  all 
shine  a  little,  there  will  be  a  good  deal  of  light.  That 
is  what  God  wants  us  to  do.  If  we  cannot  all  be  light- 
houses, any  one  of  us  can  at  any  rate  be  a  tallow 
candle. 

A  little  light  will  sometimes  do  a  great  deal.  The 
city  of  Chicago  was  set  on  fire  by  a  cow  kicking  over  a 
lamp,  and  a  hundred  thousand  people  were  burnt  out  of 
house  and  home.     Do  not  let  Satan  get  the  advantage 


140  "  TO  THE  WORK  ! " 

of  you,  and  make  you  think  that  because  you  cannot  do 
any  great  thing  you  cannot  do  -anything  at  all. 

Then  we  must  remember  that  we  are  to  let  our  light 
shine.  It  does  not  say,  ''Make  your  light  shine." 
You  do  not  have  to  make  light  to  shine;  all  you  have 
to  do  is  to  let  it  shine. 

I  remember  hearing  of  a  man  at  sea  who  was  very 
sea-sick.  If  there  is  a  time  when  a  man  feels  that  he 
cannot  do  any  work  for  the  Lord  it  is  then — in  my 
opinion.  While  this  man  was  sick  he  heard  that  a  man 
had  fallen  overboard.  He  was  wondering  if  he  could 
do  anything  to  help  to  save  the  man.  He  laid  hold  of 
a  light  and  held  it  up  to  the  port-hole.  The  drowning 
man  was  saved.  When  this  man  got  over  his  attack  of 
sickness  he  got  up  on  deck  one  day,  and  was  talking 
with  the  man  who  was  rescued.  The  saved  man  gave 
this  testimony.  He  said  he  had  gone  down  the  second 
time,  and  was  just  going  down  again  for  the  last  time, 
when  he  put  out  his  hand.  Just  then,  he  said,  some 
one  held  a  light  at  the  port-hole,  and  the  light  fell  on 
his  hand.  A  man  caught  him  by  the  hand  and  pulled 
him  into  the  lifeboat. 

It  seemed  a  small  thing  to  do  to  hold  up  the  light; 
yet  it  saved  the  man's  life.  If  you  cannot  do  some 
great  thing  you  can  hold  the  light  for  some  poor,  per- 
ishing drunkard,  who  may  be  won  to  Christ  and  de- 
livered from  destruction.  Let  us  take  the  torch  of 
salvation  and  go  into  these  dark  homes,  and  hold  up 
Christ  to  the  people  as  the  Sa\dor  of  the  world.  If 
these  perishing  masses  are  to  be  reached  we  must  lay 
our  lives  right  alongside  theirs,  and  pray  with  them 
and  labor  for  them.     I  would  not  give   much   for  a 


"YE  ABE  THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLD."        141 

man's  Christianity,  if  he  is  saved  himself  and  is  not 
willing  to  try  and  save  others.  It  seems  to  me  the 
basest  ingratitude  if  we  do  not  reach  out  the  hand  to 
others  who  are  down  in  the  same  pit  from  which  we 
were  delivered.  Who  is  able  to  reach  and  help  these 
drinking  men  like  those  who  have  themselves  been 
slaves  to  the  intoxicating  cup?  Will  you  not  go  out 
this  very  day  and  seek  to  rescue  these  men?  If  we 
were  all  to  do  what  we  can  we  should  soon  empty  the 
drinking  saloons. 

I  remember  reading  of  a  blind  man  who  was  found 
sitting  at  the  corner  of  a  street  in  a  great  city  with  a 
lantern  beside  him.  Some  one  went  up  to  him  and 
asked  what  he  had  the  lantern  there  for,  seeing  that  he 
wa«  blind,  and  the  light  was  the  same  to  him  as  the 
darkness.  The  blind  man  replied:  "I  have  it  so  that 
no  one  may  stumble  over  me." 

Dear  friends,  let  us  think  of  that.  Where  one  man 
reads  the  Bible,  a  hundred  read  you  and  me.  That  is 
what  Paul  meant  when  he  said  we  were  to  be  living 
epistles  of  Christ,  known  and  read  of  all  men.  I  would 
not  give  much  for  all  that  can  be  done  by  sermons,  if 
we  do  not  preach  Christ  by  our  lives.  If  we  do  not 
commend  the  Gospel  to  people  by  our  holy  walk  and 
conversation,  we  shall  not  win  them  to  Christ.  Some 
little  act  of  kindness  will  perhaps  do  more  to  influence 
them  than  any  number  of  long  sermons. 

A  vessel  was  caught  in  a  storm  on  Lake  Erie,  and 
they  were  trying  to  make  for  the  harbor  of  Cleveland, 
At  the  entrance  of  that  port  they  had  what  are  called 
the  upper  lights  and  the  lower  lights.  Away  back  on 
the   bluffs    were  the   upper    lights   burning    brightly 


142  "  TO  THE  WORK  ! 


enough ;  but  wlien  tliey  came  near  the  harbor  they  could 
not  see  the  lights  showing  the  entrance  to  it.  The  pilot 
said  he  thought  they  had  better  get  back  on  the  lake 
again.  The  Captain  said  he  was  sure  they  would  go 
down  if  they  went  back,  and  he  urged  the  pilot  to  do 
what  he  could  to  gain  the  harbor.  The  pilot  said  there 
was  very  little  hope  of  making  for  the  harbor,  as  he 
had  nothing  to  guide  him  as  to  how  he  should  steer 
the  ship.  They  tried  all  they  could  to  get  her  into  the 
harbor.  She  rode  on  the  top  of  the  waves,  and  then 
into  the  trough  of  the  sea,  and  at  last  they  found  them- 
selves stranded  on  the  beach,  where  the  vessel  was 
dashed  to  pieces.  Some  one  had  neglected  the  lower 
lights  and  they  had  gone  out. 

Let  us  take  warning.  God  keeps  the  upper  lights 
burning  as  brightly  as  ever,  but  He  has  left  us  down 
here  to  keep  the  lower  lights  burning.  We  are  to  rep- 
resent Him  here,  as  Christ  represents  us  up  yonder.  I 
sometimes  think  if  we  had  as  poor  a  representative  in 
the  courts  above  as  God  has  down  here  on  earth,  we 
would  have  a  pretty  poor  chance  of  heaven.  Let  us  have 
our  loins  girt  and  our  lights  brightly  burning,  so  that 
others  may  see  the  way  and  not  walk  in  darkness. 

Speaking  of  a  lighthouse  reminds  me  of  what  I  heard 
about  a  man  in  the  State  of  Minnesota,  who,  some  years 
ago,  was  caught  in  a  fearful  storm.  That  State  is  cursed 
with  storms,  which  come  sweeping  down  so  suddenly  in 
the  winter  time  that  escape  is  difficult.  The  snow  will 
fall  and  the  wind  will  beat  it  into  the  face  of  the  trav- 
eler, so  that  he  cannot  see  two  feet  ahead.  Many  a  man 
has  been  lost  on  those  prairies  when  he  has  got  caught 
in  one  of  those  storms. 


"  YE  ARE  THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLD."       143 

This  man  was  caught  and  was  almost  on  the  point  of 
giving  up,  when  he  saw  a  little  light  in  a  log  house. 
He  managed  to  get  there,  and  found  a  shelter  from  the 
fury  of  the  tempest.  He  is  now  a  wealthy  man.  As 
soon  as  lie  was  able  he  bought  the  farm,  and  built  a 
beautiful  house  on  the  spot  where  the  log  building 
stood.  On  the  top  of  a  tower  he  put  a  revolving  light, 
and  every  night  when  there  comes  a  stoim  he  lights  it 
up  in  the  hope  that  it  may  be  the  means  of  saving  some 
one  else. 

That  is  true  gratitude,  and  that  is  what  God  wants  us 
to  do.  If  he  has  rescued  us  and  brought  us  up  out  of 
the  horrible  pit,  let  us  be  always  looking  to  see  if  there 
is  not  some  one  else  whom  we  can  help  to  save. 

I  remember  hearing  of  two  men  who  had  charge  of 
a  revolving  light  in  a  lighthouse  on  a  storm-bound  and 
rocky  coast.  Somehow  the  machinery  went  wrong,  and 
the  light  did  not  revolve.  They  were  so  afraid  that 
those  at  sea  should  mistake  it  for  some  other  light,  that 
they  worked  all  the  night  through  to  keep  the  light 
moving  round. 

Let  us  keep  our  lights  in  the  proper  place,  so  that 
the  world  may  see  that  the  religion  of  Christ  is  not  a 
sham  but  a  reality.  It  is  said  that  in  the  Grecian  sports 
they  had  one  game  where  the  men  ran  with  lights. 
They  lit  a  torch  at  the  altar  and  ran  a  certain  distance; 
sometimes  they  were  on  horseback.  If  a  man  came  in 
with  his  light  still  burning  he  had  a  prize ;  if  his  light 
had  gone  out  he  lost  the  prize. 

How  many  there  are  who,  in  their  old  age,  have  lost 
their  light  and  their  joy.  They  were  once  burning  and 
shining  lights  in  the  family,  in  the  Sunday-school  and 


144  "  TO  THE  WORK  /  " 

in  the  cliurch.  But  sometliing  has  come  in  between 
them  and  God — the  world  or  self — and  their  light  has 
gone  out.  Header,  if  you  are  one  wdio  has  had  this 
experience,  may  God  help  you  to  come  back  to  the  altar 
of  the  Savior's  love  and  light  up  your  torch  anew,  so 
that  you  can  go  out  into  the  lanes  and  alleys,  and  let 
the  light  of  the  Gospel  shine  in  these  dark  homes. 

As  I  have  already  said,  if  we  only  lead  one  soul  to 
Jesus  Christ  we  may  set  a  stream  in  motion  that  wdll 
flow  on  when  we  are  dead  and  gone.  Away  up  the 
mountain  side  there  is  a  little  spring ;  it  seems  so  small 
that  an  ox  might  drink  it  up  at  a  draught.  By  and  by 
it  becomes  a  rivulet ;  other  rivulets  run  into  it.  Before 
long  it  is  a  large  brook,  and  then  it  becomes  a  broad 
river  sweeping  onward  to  the  sea.  On  its  banks  are 
cities,  towns  and  villages,  where  many  thousands  live. 
Vegetation  flourishes  on  every  side,  and  commerce  is 
carried  down  its  stately  bosom  to  distant  lands. 

So  if  you  turn  one  to  Christ,  that  one  may  turn  a 
hundred ;  they  may  turn  a  thousand,  and  so  the  stream, 
small  at  first,  goes  on  broadening  and  deepening  as  it 
rolls  toward  eternity. 

In  the  book  of  Revelation  we  read:  "  I  heard  a  voice 
from  heaven  saying  unto  me.  Write,  Blessed  are  the 
dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth :  yea,  saitli 
the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their  labors ;  and 
their  works  do  follow  them." 

There  are  many  mentioned  in  the  Scriptures  of  whom 
we  read  that  they  lived  so  many  years  and  then  they 
died.  The  cradle  and  the  grave  are  brought  close  to- 
gether; they  lived  and  they  died,  and  that  is  all  we 
know  about  them.    So  in.  these  days  you  could  write  on 


«  YE  ARE  THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLDS        145 


the  tombstone  of  a  great  many  professing  Christians 
that  they  were  born  on  such  a  day  and  they  died  on 
sucli  a  day;  there  is  nothing  whatever  between. 

But  there  is  one  thing  you  cannot  bury  with  a  good 
man ;  his  influence  still  lives.  They  have  not  buried 
Daniel  yet;  his  influence  is  as  great  to-day  as  ever  it 
was.  Do  you  tell  me  that  eJoseph  is  dead  ?  His  influ- 
snce  still  lives  and  will  continue  to  live  on  and  on. 
You  may  bury  the  frail  tenement  of  clay  that  a  good 
man  lives  in,  but  you  cannot  get  rid  of  his  influence 
and  example.  Paul  was  never  more  powerful  than  he 
is  to-day. 

Do  you  tell  me  that  John  Howard,  who  went  into  so 
many  of  the  dark  prisons  in  Europe,  is  dead?  Is 
Henry  Martyn,  or  Wilberf orce,  or  John  Bunyan  dead  ? 
Go  into  the  Southern  States  and  there  you  will  find 
from  three  to  four  millions  'of  men  and  women  who 
once  Avere  slaves.  You  mention  to  any  of  them  the 
name  of  Wilberforce,  and  see  how  quickly  the  eye  will 
light  up.  He  lived  for  something  else  besides  himself, 
and  his  memory  will  never  die  out  of  the  hearts  of  those 
for  whom  he  lived  and  labored. 

Is  Wesley  or  Whitefield  dead  ?  The  names  of  those 
great  evangelists  were  never  more  honored  than  they 
are  now.  Is  John  Knox  dead?  You  can  go  to  any 
part  of  Scotland  to-day  and  you  will  feel  the  power  of 
his  influence. 

I  will  not  tell  you  who  are  dead.  The  enemies  of 
these  servants  of  God — those  who  persecuted  them  and 
told  lies  about  them.  But  the  men  themselves  have 
outlived  all  the  lies  that  were  uttered  concerninsr  them. 
Not  only  that;  they  will  shine  in  another  world.  How 
10 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 
I. 

THE    CAPTIVES    IN    BABYLON  .  .  •  -5 

11. 

"thou    art   the    head    of    gold!"  .  .  .12 

III. 

Nebuchadnezzar's  image  .  •  •  .18 

IV. 

Nebuchadnezzar's  second  dream         .  •  .29 

V. 

the  handwriting  on  the  wall  •  •  •     35 

VI. 

the    edict    of    DARIUS      .  •  •  •  •       4^ 

VIL 

the  den  of  lions  .  .  •  •  •     52 


DANIEL'S    BAND. 


Standing  by  a  purpose  true,   . 

Heeding  God's  command, 
Honor  them,  the  faithful  few  ! 

All  hail  to  Daniel's  Band  ! 

Dare  to  be  a  Daniel  ! 

Dare  to  stand  alone  ! 
Dare  to  have  a  purpose  firm, 

Dare  to  make  it  known  I 

Many  mighty  men  are  lost, 

Daring  not  to  stand. 
Who  for  God  had  been  a  host, 

By  joining  Daniel's  Band. 

Many  giants,  great  and  tall. 

Stalking  through  the  land, 
Headlong  to  the  earth  would  fall. 

If  met  by  Daniel's  Band  ! 

Hold  the  Gospel  banner  high  ! 

On  to  victory  grand  ! 
Satan  and  his  host  defy. 

And  shout  for  Daniel's  Band  ! 

P.  P.  Bliss, 


DANIEL  THE   PROPHET. 


I. 

THE    CAPTIVES  IN  BAB  YLON. 

*'  But  Daniel  purposed  in  his  heart  that  he  would  not  defile  himself 
with  the  portion  of  the  king's  meat,  nor  with  the  wine  which  he 
drank  ;  therefore  he  requested  of  the  prince  of  the  eunuchs  that  he 
might  not  defile  himself"  (Dan.  i.  8). 


ALWAYS  delight  to  study  the  life  of  "Daniel  the 
Prophet."  The  name  Daniel  means  '*  God  is 
my  judge."  God  is  my  judge:  not  the  public  is 
my  judge ;  not  my  fellow-men,  but  God.  So 
Daniel  held  himself  responsible  to  God.  Some  may  ask,  Who 
was  Daniel  ?  Listen.  About  six  hundred  years  before  the 
time  of  Christ,  the  sins  of  the  kings  of  Judah  had  brought 
down  upon  them  and  upon  the  people  the  judgments  of  God. 
Jehoiakim  had  succeeded  Jehoahaz ;  and  Jehoiachin  had  suc- 
ceeded Jehoiakim  ;  and  he  again  was  succeeded  by  Zedekiah  ; 
and  of  each  of  these  kings  the  record  runs  just  the  same  :  "  he 
did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord." 

No  wonder  that  in  the  days  of  Jehoiakim,  about  six  hun- 
drc  d  years  before  the  time  of  Christ,  Nebuchadnezzar,  King  of 
Babylon,  was  permitted  of  God  to  come  up  against  Jerusalem, 
and  to  lay  siege  against  it  and  overcome  it.     It  was  probably 


6  DANIEL  AND  HIS  THREE  FRIENDS. 

at  this  time  that  Daniel,  with  some  of  the  young  princes,  was 
carried  away  captive.  A  few  years  later,  Jehoiachin  being 
king,  Nebuchadnezzar  again  came  up  against  Jerusalem,  and 
overcame  it ;  when  he  bare  away  many  of  the  temple  vessels, 
and  made  several  thousand  captives. 

And  still  later  on,  when  Zedekiah  was  king,  Nebuchad- 
nezzar came  a  third  time  against  Jerusalem  to  besiege  it ;  and 
this  time  he  burnt  the  city  with  fire ;  broke  down  its  walls ; 
slaughtered  many  of  the  people;  and  probably  bore  away 
another  batch  of  captives  to  the  banks  of  the  Euphrates. 

Among  the  earlier  captives  taken  by  the  King  of  Babylon 
in  the  days  of  Jehoiakim,  were  four  young  men.  Like  Timothy 
in  later  times,  they  may  have  had  godly  mothers,  who  taught 
them  the  law  of  the  Lord.  Or  they  may  perhaps  have 
been  touched  by  the  words  of  Jeremiah,  the  "weeping  pro- 
phet," whom  God  had  sent  to  the  people  of  Judah.  So, 
when  the  nation  was  rejecting  the  God  of  Israel,  the  God  ot 
Abraham,  of  Isaac,  and  of  Moses,  these  young  men  took  Him 
as  their  God  :  they  received  Him  into  their  hearts. 

Many  may  have  mocked  at  Jeremiah's  warnings,  when  he 
lifted  up  his  voice  against  the  sins  of  the  people  ;  they  may 
have  laughed  at  his  tears,  and  have  told  him  to  his  face — 
just  as  people  say  nowadays  of  earnest  preachers — that  he  was 
causing  undue  excitement.  But  these  four  young  men  would 
seem  to  have  listened  to  the  prophet's  voice ;  and  they  had  the 
strength  to  come  out  for  God. 

And  now  they  are  in  Babylon.  Nebuchadnezzar  the 
king  commands  that  a  certain  number  of  the  most  promising 
of  the  young  Jewish  captives  should  be  picked  out,  who  might 
be  taught  the  Chaldean  tongue  and  instructed  in  the  learning 
of  Babylon.  And  the  king  further  ordered  that  there  should 
be  daily  set  before  them  portions  of  meat  from  his  table,  and 
a  supply  of  the  same  wine  as  he  himself  drank ;  and  this  was 


IN  THE  CITY,  7 

to  go  on  for  three  years.  And  at  the  end  of  three  years  these 
young  men  were  to  stand  before  the  great  monarch,  at  that 
time  the  ruler  over  the  whole  world.  Daniel  and  his  three 
young  friends  were  amongst  those  thus  selected. 

No  young  man  ever  goes  from  a  country  home  to  a  large 
city — say,  to  a  great  metropolis — without  grave  temptations 
crossing  his  path  on  his  entrance.  And  just  at  this  turning- 
point  in  his  life,  as  in  Daniel's,  must  lie  the  secret  of  his 
success  or  his  failure.  The  cause  of  many  of  the  failures  that 
we  see  in  life  is,  that  men  do  not  start  right.  Now,  this  young 
man  started  right.  He  took  a  character  with  him  up  to  Baby- 
lon ;  and  he  was  not  ashamed  of  the  religion  of  his  mother 
and  his  father.  He  was  not  ashamed  of  the  God  of  the  Bible. 
Up  there  among  those  heathen  idolaters  he  was  not  ashamed 
to  let  his  light  shine.  The  young  Hebrew  captive  took  his 
stand  for  God  as  he  entered  the  gate  of  Babylon,  and  doubt- 
less he  cried  to  God  to  keep  him  steadfast.  And  he  needed  to 
cry  hard,  for  he  had  to  face  great  difficulties  :  as  we  shall  see. 
I  Soon  comes  a  testing  time.  The  king's  edict  goes  forth, 
that  these  young  men  should  eat  the  meat  from  the  king's  table. 
Some  of  that  food  would  in  all  probability  consist  of  meats 
prohibited  by  the  Levitical  law—the  flesh  of  animals,  of  birds, 
and  of  fishes,  which  had  been  pronounced  "unclean,"  and 
were  consequently  forbidden :  or  in  the  preparation,  some 
portion  might  not  perhaps  have  been  thoroughly  drained  of 
the  blood,  concerning  which  it  had  been  declared,  "  Ye  shall 
eat  the  blood  of  no  manner  of  flesh"  ;  or  some  part  of  the  food 
may  have  been  presented  as  an  offering  to  Bel  or  some  other 
Babylonish  god.  Some  one  of  ihjse  circumstances,  or  possibly 
all  of  them  united,  may  have  determined  Daniel's  course  of 
action.  I  do  not  think  it  took  young  Daniel  long  to  make  up 
his  mind.  "  He  purposed  in  his  heart " — in  his  heart,  mark 
that  ! — "  that  he  would  not  defile  himself  with  the  portion  of 
the  king's  meat," 


8  SUGGESTIONS  OF  COMPROMISE. 

If  some  modern  Christians  could  have  advised  Daniel, 
they  would  have  said,  "  Do  not  act  like  that ;  do  not  set  aside 
the  king's  meat :  that  is  an  act  of  Pharisaism.  The  moment 
you  take  your  stand,  and  say  you  will  not  eat  it,  you  say  in 
effect  that  you  are  better  than  other  people."  Oh,  yes ;  that 
is  the  kind  of  talk  too  often  heard  now.  Men  say,  "  When  you 
are  in  Rome  you  must  do  as  Rome  does ; "  and  such  people 
would  have  pressed  upon  the  poor  young  captive  that,  though 
he  might  obey  the  commandments  of  God  while  in  his  own 
country,  yet  that  he  could  not  possibly  do  so  here  in  Babylon 
—  that  he  could  not  expect  to  carry  his  religion  with  him  into 
the  land  of  his  captivity.  I  can  imagine  men  saying  to  Daniel, 
"  Look  here,  young  man,  you  are  too  puritanical.  Don't  be  too 
particular;  don't  have  too  many  religious  scruples.  Bear  in 
mind  you  are  not  now  in  Jerusalem.  You  will  hav^e  to  get 
over  these  notions,  now  you  are  here  in  Babylon.  You  are 
not  now  surrounded  by  friends  and  relatives.  You  are  not  a 
Jerusalem  prince  now.  You  are  not  surrounded  by  the  royal 
family  of  Judah.  You  have  been  brought  down  from  your 
h^'gh  position.  You  are  now  a  captive.  And  if  the  monarch 
hears  about  your  refusing  to  eat  the  same  kind  of  meat  that 
he  eats,  and  to  drink  the  same  kind  of  wine  that  he  drinks, 
your  head  will  soon  roll  from  off  your  shoulders.  You  had 
better  be  a  little  politic." 

But  this  young  man  had  piety  and  religion  deep  down  in 
his  heart :  and  that  is  the  right  place  for  it ;  that  is  where  it 
will  grow ;  that  is  where  it  will  have  power ;  that  is  where  it 
will  regulate  the  life.  Daniel  had  not  joined  the  company 
of  the  "church,"  the  faithful  few  in  Jerusalem— because  he 
wanted  to  get  into  "  society,''  and  attain  a  position  :  that  was 
not  the  reason.  It  was  because  of  the  love  he  had  toward 
the  Lord  God  of  Israel. 

I  can  imagine  the  astonishment  of  that  officer,  Melzar, 
when  Daniel  told  him  he  could  not  eat  the  king's  meat  or 


REFUSING  THE  KING'S  MEAT.  9 

drink  his  wine.  "  Why,  what  do  you  mean  ?  Is  there  any- 
thing wrong  with  it  ?  Why,  it  is  the  best  the  land  can  pro- 
duce !  " 

"  No,"  says  Daniel,  "  there  is  nothing  wrong  with  it  in  that 
way;  but  take  it  away,  I  cannot  eat  it."  Then  Melzar  tried 
to  reason  Daniel  out  of  his  scruples ;  but  no,  there  stood 
the  prophet,  youth  though  he  was  at  that  time,  firm  as  a 
rock. 

So,  thank  God,  this  young  Hebrew  and  his  three  friends 
said  they  vyould  not  eat  the  meat  or  drink  the  wine  ;  and 
requesting  that  the  portions  might  be  taken  away,  they  endea- 
voured to  persuade  the  overseer  to  bring  them  pulse  instead. 

"  Take  away  this  wine,  and  take  away  this  meat.  Give  us 
pulse  and  water."  The  prince  of  the  eunuchs  probably  trem- 
bled for  the  consequences.  But,  yielding  to  their  importunity, 
.^  he  eventually  consented  to  let  them  have  pulse  and  water  for 
ten  days.  And  lo  !  at  the  end  of  the  ten  days  his  fears  were 
dispelled ;  for  the  faces  of  Daniel  and  his  young  friends  were 
fairer  and  fatter  than  the  faces  of  any  of  those  who  had 
partaken  of  the  king's  meat.  The  four  young  men  had  not 
noses,  like  those  of  too  many  men  nowadays  seen  in  our 
streets,  as  red  as  if  they  were  just  going  to  blossom.  It  is 
God's  truth — and  Daniel  and  his  friends  tested  it — that  cold 
water,  with  a  clear  conscience,  is  better  than  wine.  They  had 
a  clear  conscience  ;  and  the  smile  of  God  was  upon  them. 
The  Lord  had  blessed  their  obedience,  and  the  four  Hebrew 
youths  were  allowed  to  have  their  own  way ;  and  in  God's 
time  they  were  brought  into  favour,  not  only  with  the  officer 
set  over  them,  but  with  the  court  and  the  king. 

Daniel  thought  more  of  his  principles  than  he  did  of 
earthly  honour,  or  the  esteem  of  men.  Right  was  right 
with  him.  He  was  going  to  do  right  to-day,  and  let  the 
morrows  take  care  of  themselves.  That  firmness  of  purpose,  in 
the  strength  of  God,  was  the   secret  of  his   success.     Right 


lO  STARTING  RIGHT. 

there,  that  very  moment,  he  overcame.  And  from  that  hour, 
from  that  moment,  he  could  go  on  conquering  and  to  con- 
quer, because  he  had  started  right. 

Many  a  man  is  lost  because  he  does  not  start  right.  He 
makes  a  bad  start.  A  young  man  comes  from  his  country 
home,  and  enters  upon  city  life  :  temptation  arises,  and  he 
becomes  false  to  his  principles.  He  meets  with  some  scoffing, 
sneering  man,  who  jeers  at  him  because  he  goes  to  a  church 
service;  or  because  he  is  seen  reading  his  Bible;  or  because 
he  is  known  to  pray  to  God — to  that  God  to  whom  Daniel 
prayed  in  Babylon.  And  the  young  man  proves  to  be  weak- 
kneed  :  he  cannot  stand  the  scoffs,  and  the  sneers,  and  the 
jeers,  of  his  companions ;  and  so  he  becomes  untrue  to  his 
principles,  and  gives  them  up. 

I  want  to  say  here  to  young  men,  that  when  a  young  man 
makes  a  wrong  start,  in  ninety-nine  cases  out  of  a  hundred  it 
is  ruin  to  him.  The  first  game  of  chance  ;  the  first  betting 
transaction ;  the  first  false  entry  in  the  books ;  the  first  quarter- 
dollar  taken  from  the  cash-box  or  the  till ;  the  first  night  spent 
in  evil  company — either  of  these  may  prove  the  turning-point ; 
either  of  these  may  represent  a  wrong  start. 

If  ever  any  persons  could  be  said  to  have  had  a  good  excuse 
for  being  unfaithful  to  their  principles,  these  four  young  men 
might.  They  had  been  torn  away  from  the  associations  of  their 
childhood  and  their  youth ;  had  been  taken  away  from  the 
religious  influences  which  centred  in  Jerusalem,  away  from 
the  temple  services  and  sacrifices ;  and  had  been  put  down  in 
Babylon  among  the  idols  and  idolaters,  among  the  wise  men 
and  soothsayers,  and  the  whole  nation  was  against  them.  They 
went  right  against  the  current  of  the  whole  world. 

BUT   GOD    WAS    WITH    THEM. 

And  when  a  man,  for  the  sake  of  principle  and  conscience, 
goes  against  the  current  of  the  whole  world,  God  is  with  him ; 


BABYLON  THE  GREAT.  II 

and  he  need  not  stop  to  consider  what  the  consequences  will 
be.     Right  is  right. 

But  our  testimony  for  God  is  not  limited  to  a  single  act : 
it  has  to  last  all  through  our  lives.  So  we  must  not  imagine 
for  a  moment  that  Daniel  had  only  one  trial  to  undergo.  The 
word  to  the  Lord's  servants  is  the  same  in  all  ages,  "  Be  thou 
faithful  unto  death.'''' 

This  city  of  Babylon  was  a  vast  place.  I  suppose  it  to 
have  been  the  largest  city  the  world  has  ever  seen.  It  is  said 
to  have  been  sixty  miles  round,  and  is  understood  to  have 
consisted  of  an  area  of  two  hundred  square  miles.*  A  line 
drawn  through  the  city  in  either  direction  would  measure 
fifteen  miles.  The  walls  are  said  to  have  had  an  elevation  of 
three  hundred  and  fifty  feet :  they  would  therefore  be  nearly 
on  a  level  with  the  dome  of  St.  Paul's  Cathedral.  The 
breadth  of  the  walls  is  said  to  have  been  over  eighty  feet,  and 
on  the  top  eight  chariots  could  run  abreast.  Babylon  was  like 
Chicago — so  fiat,  that  for  ornamentation  men  had  to  construct 
artificial  mounds  ;  and,  like  Chicago  in  another  particular,  the 
products  of  vast  regions  flowed  right  into  and  through  it. 

*"  Herodotus  gives  the  circumference  of  Babylon  as  sixty  miles;  the 
whole  forming  a  quadrangle,  of  which  each  side  was  fifteen  miles.  M.  Oppert 
confirms  this  by  examinations  on  the  spot,  which  show  an  area  within  the  walls 
of  two  hundred  square  miles"  {Fausset's  Bible  CyclopcBdia,  p.  67).  A  clearer 
idea  of  the  enormous  ext-nt  of  Babylon  will  be  formed  if  we  understand  that  it 
probably  occupied  an  area  nearly  double  the  extent  of  modern  London. 
It  must  not,  however,  be  supposed  that  Babylon  contained  a  popula- 
tion comparable  with  that  of  London  in  point  of  numbers.  The  inhab- 
itants of  the  former  city  probably  numbered  1,200,000. 


11. 

«  THOU  ART  THE  HEAD  OF  GOLD!'' 

**  Nebuchadnezzar  dreamed  dreams,  wherewith  his  spirit  was  troubled, 
and  his  sleep  brake  from  him  "   (Dan.  ii.  l). 

E  hear  of  Daniel  again  some  few  years  later  on, 
and  under  new  conditions.  The  King  of  Babylon 
had  a  dream  ;  and  his  dream  greatly  disturbed  him. 
He  musters  before  him  the  magicians,  the  astro 
logers,  the  soothsayers,  and  the  Chaldaeans  (or 
learned  men),  and  requires  from  them  the  interpretation  of  this 
night-vision  of  his.  He  either  cannot  or  will  not  narrate  to 
them  the  incidents  of  the  vision,  but  demands  an  explanation 
without  detailing  what  he  had  seen  in  his  dream.  "  The  thing 
is  gone  from  me  :  if  ye  will  not  make  known  unto  me  the 
dream,  with  the  interpretation  thereof,  ye  shall  be  cut  in  pieces, 
and  your  houses  shall  be  made  a  dunghill." 

That  was  a  pretty  unreasonable  demand.  It  is  true  that 
he  offered  them  rewards  and  honours  if  they  succeeded.  But 
of  course  they  failed.  And  they  admitted  their  failure. 
"  There  is  not  a  man  upon  the  earth  that  can  show  the  king's 
matter :  therefore  there  is  no  king,  lord,  nor  ruler  that  asked 
such  things  of  any  magician,  astrologer,  or  Chaldean.  And  it 
is  a  rare  thing  that  the  king  requireth ;  and  there  is  none  other 
that  can  show  it  before  the  king,  except  the  gods,  whose 
dwelling  is  not  with  men." 

"  Except  the  gods."  They  did  not  mean  the  God  of 
heaven — Daniel's  God.     He  could  have  revealed  the  secret 


PliA  YING  IN  BAB  YLON,  13 

quick  enough.  They  meant  the  idol-gods  of  Babylon,  with 
whom  these  so-called  "  wise  men "  thought,  and  wrongly 
thought,  the  power  of  interpretation  lay. 

"  There  is  not  a  man  upon  the  earth  that  can  show  the 
king's  matter."  They  were  wrong  there ;  and  that  they  soon 
found  out.  "  The  king  was  angry  and  very  furious,  and  com- 
manded to  destroy  all  the  wise  men  of  Babylon ;  and  the 
decree  went  forth  that  the  wise  men  should  be  slain ;  and  they 
sought  Daniel  and  his  fellows  to  be  slain." 

The  king's  officer  came  to  Daniel;  but  Daniel  was  not 
afraid.  Says  the  officer  to  him,  "  You  are  classed  among  the 
wise  men ;  and  our  orders  are  to  take  you  out  and  execute 
you."  "Well,"  says  the  young  Hebrew  captive,  "the  king 
has  been  very  hasty.  But  let  him  only  give  me  a  little  time ; 
and  I  will  show  the  interpretation." 

He  had  read  the  law  of  Moses ;  and  he  was  one  of  those 
who  believed  that  what  Moses  had  written  concerning  secret 
things  was  true  :  "  The  secret  things  belong  unto  the  Lord 
our  God ;  but  the  things  that  are  revealed  belong  unto  us,  and 
to  our  children."  He  probably  said  to  himself,  "My  God 
knows  that  secret ;  and  I  will  trust  to  Him  to  reveal  it  to  me." 
And  he  may  have  called  together  his  three  friends ;  and  have 
held  a  prayer-meeting — perhaps  the  first  prayer-meeting  ever 
held  in  Babylon.  They  dealt  with  the  threatening  message 
of  the  King  of  Babylon  just  as  Hezekiah  had  dealt  with  the 
threatening  letter  of  the  King  of  Assyria  a  hundred  years 
before.  They  "spread  it  before  the  Lord."  And  they  prayed 
that  this  secret  might  be  revealed  to  them.  And  after  they 
had  prayed,  and  made  their  request  to  God — and  the  answer 
did  not  come  right  off,  then  and  there — they  went  off  to  bed, 
and  fell  asleep. 

I  do  not  think  that  you  or  I  would  have  slept  much,  if  we 
had  thought  that  our  heads  were  in  danger  of  coming  off  in 
the  morning.      Daniel  slept :    for  we  are  told  the  matter  was 


14  THE  DREAM, 

revealed  to  him  in  a  dream  or  night-vision.  Daniel's  faith  was 
strong  :  so  he  could  sleep  calmly  in  the  prospect  of  death.  If 
his  friends  did  not  sleep  through  the  night  it  is  most  likely 
they  were  praying. 

DANIEL    STANDS    BEFORE    THE    KING. 

In  the  morning  Daniel  pours  out  his  heart  in  thanksgiving. 
He  "  blessed  the  God  of  heaven  "  He  had  got  into  the 
spirit  of  Psalm  ciii.  :  "  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  all  that 
is  within  me,  bless  His  holy  name  !  "  Paul  and  Silas  had  the 
same  spirit  of  thanksgiving  when  they  were  in  the  prison  at 
Philippi.  Daniel  makes  his  way  to  the  palace,  goes  into  the 
guard-room,  and  says  to  the  officer :  "  Bring  me  in  before  the 
king ;  and  I  will  show  unto  the  king  the  interpretation."  He 
stands  in  the  presence  of  Nebuchadnezzar ;  and,  like  Joseph 
before  Pharaoh,  before  proceeding  to  unfold  the  dream,  he 
gives  glory  to  God  :  "There  is  a  God  in  heaven  that  revealeth 
secrets."  Daniel  took  his  place  as  nobody  :  he  himself  was 
nothing.  He  did  not  wish  the  king  to  think  highly  of  him. 
That  is  the  very  highest  type  of  p'ety— when  a  man  hides  him- 
self, as  it  were,  out  of  the  way  ;  and  seeks  to  exalt  his  God  and 
lift  up  his  Redeemer,  and  not  himself  And  then  he  proceeds 
to  describe  the  dream  :  "  Thou,  O  king,  sawest ;  and  behold,  a 
great  image !  This  great  image,  whose  brightness  was  excel- 
lent, stood  before  thee ;  and  the  form  thereof  was  terrible." 

I  can  imagine  how  the  king's  eyes  flashed  out  at  those 
opening  words ;  and  I  can  fancy  him  crying  out,  "  Yes,  that  is 
it :  the  whole  thing  comes  back  to  me  now." 

"  This  image's  head  was  of  fine  gold ;  his  breast  and  his 
arms  of  silver ;  his  belly  and  his  thighs  of  brass  ;  his  legs  of 
iron  ;  his  feet,  part  of  iron  and  part  of  clay." 

"Yes.  that  is  it  exactly,"  says  the  king;  "I  recollect  all 
that  now.     But  surely  there  was  something  more." 

And  Daniel  goes  on  :  "  Thou  sawest  till  that  a  stone  was 


AND  THE  INTERPRETATION,  1 5 

cut  out  without  hands,  which  smote  the  image  upon  his  feet 
that  were  of  iron  and  clay,  and  brake  them  to  pieces.  .  .  .  This 
is  the  dream  :  and  we  will  tell  the  interpretation  thereof  before 
the  king." 

And  then,  amidst  death-like  stillness,  Daniel  went  on  to 
unfold  the  interpretation  ;  and  he  told  the  king  that  the  golden 
head  of  the  great  image  was  none  other  than  himself.  "  Thou 
art  this  head  of  gold !  "  He  then  goes  on  to  tell  of  another 
kingdom  that  should  arise — not  so  beautiful,  but  stronger ;  as 
silver  is  stronger  than  gold :  that  described  the  Medo-Persian 
empire.  But  the  arms  of  silver  were  to  overthrow  the  head 
of  gold.  And  Daniel  himself  lived  to  see  the  day  when  that 
part  of  the  prophetic  dream  came  to  pass.  He  lived  to  see 
Cyrus  overthrow  the  Chaldaean  power.  He  lived  to  see 
the  sceptre  of  empire  pass  into  the  hands  of  the  Medes  and 
Persians.  And  after  them  came  a  mighty  Grecian  conqueror, 
Alexander  the  Great,  who  overthrew  the  Persian  dynasty  ; 
and  for  awhile  Greece  ruled  the  world.  Then  came  the 
Caesars,  and  founded  the  empire  of  Rome — symbolized  by  the 
legs  of  iron — the  mightiest  power  the  world  had  ever  known  ; 
and  for  centuries  Rome  sat  on  those  seven  hills,  and  swayed 
the  sceptre  over  the  nations  of  the  earth.  And  then,  in  its 
turn,  the  Roman  power  was  broken ;  and  the  mighty  empire 
split  up  into  ten  kingdoms  corresponding  to  the  ten  toes  of 
the  prophetic  figure. 

I  believe  in  the  literal  fulfilment,  so  far,  of  Daniel's  God- 
given  words  3  and  in  the  sure  fulfilment  of  the  final  prophecy 
of  the  "  stone  cut  out  of  the  mountain,  without  hands,"  that 
by  and  by  shall  grind  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  into  dust, 
and  bring  in  the  kingdom  of  peace. 

Whilst  the  feet  were  of  clay,  there  was  some  of  the  strength 
of  the  iron  remaining  in  them.  At  the  present  day  we  have 
got  down  to  the  toes,  and  even  to  the  extremities  of  these. 
Soon,  very  soon,  the  collision  may  occur ;  and  then  will  come 


I6  THE  COMING  KING. 

the   end.     The    "  stone    cut   out  without    hands "  is   surely 
coming — and  it  may  be  very  soon. 

What  does  Ezekiel  say,  prophesying  within  some  few  years 
of  the  time  of  this  very  vision  ? — "  Remove  the  diadem,  and 

take  off  the  crown I  will  overturn,  overturn,  overturn ; 

and  it  shall  be  no  more,  until  He  come  whose  right  it  is  :  and 
I  will  give  it  Him." 

What  does  St.  Paul  say? — "The  appearing  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ ;  which  in  His  time  He  shall  show,  who  is  the 
blessed  and  only  Potentate ;  the  King  of  kings ;  and  Lord  of 
lords  ;  ....  to  whom  be  honour  and  power  everlasting." 

Yes,  the  Fifth  Monarchy  is  coming  :  and  it  may  be  very 
soon.  Hail,  thou  Fifth  Monarch,  who  art  to  rule  the  world  in 
righteousness,  and  sway  the  sceptre  "  from  the  river  unto  the 
ends  of  the  earth."  Shortly  the  cry,  "  Christ  is  come  !  "  will  be 
ringing  through  the  earth.  It  is  only  a  "  little  while."  Cheer 
up,  ye  children  of  God ;  our  King  will  be  back  by  and  by  ! 
And  to  those  who  have  not  as  yet  given  their  hearts  to  Christ, 
I  would  say,  Lose  no  time  !  If  you  want  a  part  and  lot  in  that 
coming  kingdom  of  the  Lord  you  had  better  press  into  it  now 
while  the  door  is  open.  By  and  by  "Too  late!  too  late!" 
will  be  the  cry. 

When  King  Nebuchadnezzar  heard  the  full  description 
of  his  dream  and  listened  to  its  interpretation,  he  was 
satisfied  that  at  last  he  had  found  a  really  wise  man. 
He  gave  Daniel  many  great  gifts,  and  raised  him  —  just 
as  Pharaoh  had  raised  Joseph  ages  before  —  to  a  place 
near  the  throne.  And  when  Daniel  was  raised  to  position  and 
power  he  did  not  forget  his  friends ;  he  requested  of  the 
king  that  they  should  be  promoted ;  and  they  also  were 
put  in  positions  of  honour  and  trust.  God  blessed  them  sig- 
nally ;  and — what  is  more — He  kept  them  true  to  Him  in 
their  prosperity,  as  they  had  been  in  th^i^'  adversity. 


DANIEL    PROMOTED.  Vj 

From  that  moment  Daniel  becomes  a  great  man.  He  is 
set  over  the  province  of  Babylon  :  he  is  lifted  right  out  of 
bondage;  right  out  of  servitude.  He  was  a  young  man, 
probably  not  more  than  twenty-two  year::i  old  :  and  there  he  is 
—  set  over  a  mighty  empire ;  is  made,  you  might  say,  practi- 
cally ruler  over  the  whole  of  the  then  known  world.  And  God 
will  exalt  us  when  the  right  time  comes.  We  need  not  try 
to  promote  ourselves;  we  n^ed  not  struggle  for  position.  Let 
God  put  us  in  our  true  places  And  it  is  a  good  deal  better 
for  a  man  to  be  right  with  God,  even  if  he  hold  no  position 
down  here.  Then  he  can  look  up  and  know  that  God  is 
pleased  with  him  :  that  is  enough. 


*' FIGHT  THE  GOOD  FIGHT  I" 

**  How  goes  the  fight  with  thee — 

The  life-long  battle  with  all  evil  things  ? 
Thine  no  low  strife,  and  thine  no  selfish  aim  ; 
It  is  the  war  of  giants  and  of  kings. 

**  Goes  the  fight  well  with  thee — 

This  living  fight  with  death  and  death's  dark  power? 
Is  not  the  Stronger  than  the  strong  one  near. 
With  thee  andy^r  thee  in  the  fiercest  hour? 

**  Dread  not  the  din  and  smoke, 

The  stifling  poison  of  the  fiery  air  ; 
Courage  !  it  is  the  battle  of  thy  God  : 

Go,  and  for  Him  learn  how  to  do  and  dare  ! 

**  What  though  ten  thousand  fall. 

And  the  red  field  with  the  dear  dead  be  strewn  I 
Grasp  but  more  bravely  thy  bright  shield  and  sword ; 
Fight  to  the  last,  although  thou  fight'st  alone. 

**  What  though  ten  thousand  faint. 

Desert,  or  yield,  or  in  weak  terror  flee? 
Heed  not  the  panic  of  the  multitude  ; 

Thine  be  the  Captain's  watchword — Victory  I  " 

Dr.  H.  Bonar. 

2 


III. 

NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S  IMAGE. 

**  Nebuchadnezzar  the  king  made  an  image  of  gold,  whose  height 
was  three-score  cubits  :  he  set  it  up  in  the  plains  of  Dura  in  the  pro- 
vince of  Babylon  "  (Dan.  iii.  l). 

IME  went  on — possibly  several  years  ;  and  now  we 
reach  a  crisis  indeed.  Whether  or  not  that  dream 
of  a  gigantic  human  figure  continued  to  haunt 
Nebuchadnezzar  we  cannot  say ;  but  it  is  quite 
possible  that  the  dream  may  have  in  some  sort 
suggested  Nebuchadnezzar's  next  proceeding.  He  ordered  the 
construction  of  an  immense  image.  It  was  to  be  of  gold 
— not  simply  gilded,  but  actually  of  gold.  Gold  is  a  symbol 
of  prosperity ;  and  at  this  time  Babylon  was  prosperous.  In 
like  manner  in  the  prosperous  days  of  Jerusalem  gold  was 
abundant.  And  it  may  have  been  that  some  of  the  precious 
metal,  carried  as  the  spoils  of  war  from  the  Jewish  capital, 
was  used  in  the  construction  of  this  image  of  gold.  It  was 
of  colossal  size — over  ninety  feet  high,  and  between  nine  and 
ten  feet  wide.  This  gigantic  image  was  set  up  in  the  plain  of 
Dura,  near  to  the  city.  I  suppose  Nebuchadnezzar  wanted  to 
gratify  his  imperial  vanity  by  inaugurating  a  universal  religion. 
When  the  time  came  for  the  dedication,  Daniel  was  not 


THE  PLAIN  OF  DURA,'  '19 

there.  He  may  have  been  away  in  Egypt ;  or  in  some  one  of 
the  many  provinces,  attending  to  the  affairs  of  the  empire.  If 
he  had  been  there  we  should  have  heard  of  him.  Satraps, 
princes,  governors,  councillors,  high  secretaries,  judges,  were 
ordered  to  be  present  at  the  dedication  of  the  image.  What 
a  gathering  that  morning  !  It  was  the  fashionable  thing  to  be 
seen  that  morning  driving  to  the  plain  of  Dura,  Of  course  it 
was  :  all  the  great  people,  and  all  the  rich  people,  were  to  be 
there.  Now  hark !  the  trumpet  sounds ;  the  herald  shouts  : 
"  To  you  it  is  commanded,  O  people,  nations,  and  languages, 
that  at  what  time  ye  hear  the  sound  of  the  cornet,  flute,  harp, 
sackbut,  psaltery,  dulcimer,  and  all  kinds  of  music,  ye  fall 
down  and  worship  the  golden  image  that  Nebuchadnezzar  the 
king  hath  set  up  :  and  whoso  falleth  not  down  and  worshippeth, 
shall  the  same  hour  be  cast  into  the  midst  of  a  burning  fiery 
furnace." 

Perhaps  a  part  of  the  ceremony  consisted  in  "  the  unveiling 
of  the  statue,"  as  we  say.  One  thing,  however,  is  certain  :  that 
at  the  given  signal  all  the  people  were  required  to  fall  to  the 
earth,  and  worship. 

But  in  the  law  of  God  there  was  something  against  that : 
God's  voice  had  spoken  at  Sinai ;  God's  finger  had  written  on 
the  table  of  stone — "  Thou  shalt  have  none  other  gods 
BEFORE  Me."  God's  law  went  right  against  the  king's.  I  said 
Daniel  was  not  on  the  plain  of  Dura.  But  his  influence  was 
there.  He  had  influenced  those  three  friends  of  his — Shadrach, 
Meshach,  and  Abednego.  They  were  there ;  and  they  were 
actuated  by  the  same  spirit  as  Daniel.  Their  position  brought 
them  here  at  the  hour  of  the  dedication. 

Now  mark  you,  no  man  can  be  true  for  God,  and  live  for 
Him,  without  at  some  time  or  other  being  unpopular  in  this 
world.  Those  men  who  are  trying  to  live  for  both  worlds 
make  a  wreck  of  it ;  for  at  some  time  or  other  the  collision  is 
sure  to  come.     Ah,  would  all  of  us  have  advised  Daniel's  three 


20  THE  THREATENED  PENALTY, 

friends  to  do  the  right  thing  at  any  hazard  ?  Are  there  not 
some  of  us  with  so  Httle  backbone  that  we  would  have  coun- 
selled these  three  just  to  bow  down  a  little,  so  that  no  one 
could  take  notice  — to  merely  bow  down,  but  not  to  worship  ? 
Daniel  and  his  friends,  when  they  first  came  to  Babylon,  per- 
ceived that  the  two  worlds — the  present  world  and  the  world 
to  come — would  be  in  collision  :  and  they  "  went  for  "  the 
world  to  come  ;  they  "  went  for  "  things  unseen  :  they  did  not 
judge  for  the  time  being  only  ;  they  took  their  stand  right  there. 
Even  if  it  cost  them  their  lives,  what  of  that !  It  would  only 
hasten  them  to  the  glory ;  and  they  would  receive  the  greater 
reward.  They  took  their  stand  for  God  and  for  the  unseen 
world.  The  faithful  three  utterly  refused  to  bend  the  knee  to 
a  god  of  gold. 

A  terrible  penalty  was  associated  with  disobedience  to  the 
king's  command  :  "  Whoso  falleth  not  down  and  worshippeth 
shall  the  same  hour  be  cast  into  the  midst  of  a  burning  fiery 
furnace.  "* 

How  many  would  cry  out  in  this  city — in  every  city — "  Give 
me  gold,  give  me  money;  and  I  will  do  anything."  Some  people 
may  think  and  say  that  the  men  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  day  ought 
not  to  have  bowed  down  to  a  golden  idol  j  but  they  themselves 
are  every  day  doing  just  that  very  thing.  Money  is  their  god ; 
social  position  their  golden  image.  There  are  plenty  of  men 
to-day  who  are  bowing  down  to  the  golden  image  that  the 
world  has  set  up.     "  Give  me  gold  !   give  me  gold ;  and  you 

*  Not  a  mere  empty  threat.  It  was  a  sentence  in  harmony  with  the  cha- 
racter and  the  practice  of  the  ferocious  and  cruel  king,  "  The  Lord  make  them 
hke  Zedekiah  and  like  Ahab,  whom  the  King  of  Babylon  roasted  in  the 
fire"  (Jer.  xxix.  22). 

It  is  well  for  us  to  remember  that  the  burning  of  living  beings  has  not  been 
confined  to  a  distant  country  and  a  barbarous  age.  Some  three  hundred  years 
ago,  an  English  queen,  whose  name  has  become  a  proverb,  caused  to  be 
roasted  alive  m  England,  during  her  short  reign  of  five  years  and  five  months, 
no  less  than  2/7  persons  ;  of  whom  fifty-five  were  women,  and  four  were 
children. 


THE  GOLDEN  IMAGE,  21 

may  have  heaven.  Give  me  position  ;  and  you  may  have  the 
world  to  come.  Give  me  worldly  honour;  and  I  will  sell 
out  my  hopes  of  heaven.  Give  me  the  thirty  pieces  of  silver ; 
and  I  will  give  you  Christ."  That  is  the  cry  of  the  world 
to-day. 

And  now  the  order  is  given— very  probably  by  the  king 
himself — that  the  bands  should  strike  up  ;  just  the  same  as  on 
public  occasions  bands  of  music  do  now.  The  music  could 
be  heard  afar  off;  and  when  the  first  notes  burst  forth  all  were 
to  bow  down  to  the  golden  image.  Earth's  great  ones  and 
mighty  ones  bowed  down  at  the  king's  command.  But  there 
were  three  with  stift'  knees  which  did  not  bend.  Those  were 
Daniel's  three  friends,  who  knew  well  that  to  do  the  king's 
bidding  would  be  to  break  the  law  of  their  God ;  and  they  at 
all  events  will  not  fall  down  and  worship.  At  the  king's 
command  they  had  come  to  the  dedication :  there  might  be 
nothing  wrong  in  that  :  but  they  will  not  bow  down.  They 
were  too  stiff  in  the  backbone  for  that.  They  remembered 
the  command,  "  Thou  shalt  have  none  other  gods  before 
Me."  These  are  the  kind  of  servants  God  wants — men  who 
will  stand  up  bravely  and  fearlessly  for  Him. 

Like  all  the  servants  of  the  Lord,  and  all  who  walk  in  the 
atmosphere  of  heaven,  these  three  Hebrews  had  enemies. 
There  were  some  who  bore  them  a  bitter  grudge.  Very  pos- 
sibly they  were  thought  to  have  had  undue  preference  in  being 
promoted  to  office.  So  there  were  some  others,  besides  the 
three  young  Hebrews,  who  did  not  worship  as  commanded. 
Do  you  know  what  they  were  doing  ?  They  were  watching  to 
see  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abednego.  If  they  themselves 
had  bowed  their  faces  to  the  ground,  according  to  Nebu- 
chadnezzar's command,  they  would  not  have  seen  that  Daniels 
three  friends  refused  to  bow :  they  would  not  have  seen  the 
three  young  Hebrews  standing  up,  erect,  straight.  There 
were  those  Chaldasans   looking  out  of  the  corners  of  their 


22  THE  THREE   YOUNG  HEBRElVS, 

eyes,  and  watching  the  three  young  men.  These  young  Jews 
had  so  carried  themselves,  and  had  so  lived  in  Babylon,  that 
their  watchers  felt  sure  they  would  not  bow  down.  They 
knew  well  that  the  three  would  not  sacrifice  principle.  They 
would  go  as  far  as  it  was  lawful  in  obeying  the  king's  com- 
mands ;  but  a  time  would  come  when  they  would  draw  the 
line.  When  the  commands  of  the  earthly  sovereign  come  in 
conflict  with  the  commands  of  the  God  of  heaven  they  will 
not  yield.  The  watchers  watched  ;  but  the  young  men  did 
not  bow. 

Thank  God,  they  had  backbone,  if  you  will  allow  me  the 
expression.  Something  held  their  knees  firm ;  they  would 
not  give  in :  there  they  stood  as  firm  as  rock.  They  did  not 
get  half-way  down,  and  just  make  believe  that  they  were  going 
to  worship  the  image  :  there  was  nothing  of  that  kind :  they 
stood  up  erect  and  firm. 

Some  of  those  Chaldaeans  wished  to  get  rid  of  these  young 
Hebrews  :  they  perhaps  wanted  their  places  :  they  were  after 
their  offices.  Men  have  been  the  same  in  all  ages.  There 
were,  no  doubt,  a  goo^  many  men  in  Babylon  who  wanted  to 
get  their  posts.  These  three  men  had  high  positions ;  there 
was  a  good  deal  of  honour  attached  to  their  offices  :  and  their 
enemies  wanted  to  oust  them,  and  to  succeed  to  their  offices. 
It  is  a  very  bad  state  of  things  when  men  try  to  pull  down 
others  in  order  to  obtain  their  places  ;  and  there  is  a  good 
deal  of  that,  you  know,  in  this  world.  Many  a  man  has  had 
his  character  blasted  and  ruined  by  some  person  or  other  who 
wanted  to  step  into  his  place  and  position. 

So  away  went  those  men  to  the  king  to  lay  an  information. 
They  duly  rendered  the  salutation,  "  O  king,  live  for  ever  ! " 
and  then  they  went  on  to  tell  him  of  those  rebellious  Hebrews 
who  would  not  obey  the  king's  order.  "  Do  you  know, 
O  king,  that  there  are  three  men  in  your  kingdom  who  will 
not  obey  your  command  ?  " 


"  OUR  GOD  IS  ABLE  TO  DELIVER:'  ^3 

"Three  men  in  my  kingdom  who  will  not  obey  me  !"  roars 
Nebuchadnezzar ;  "  no  !  who  are  they  ?  what  are  their 
names  ?" 

"  Why,  those  three  Hebrew  slaves  whom  you  set  over 
us — Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abednego.  When  the  music 
struck  up  they  did  not  bow  down ;  and  it  is  noised  all  around  : 
the  people  know  it.  And  if  you  allow  them  to  go  unpunished, 
it  will  not  be  long  before  your  law  will  be  perfectly  worthless." 

I  can  imagine  the  king  almost  speechless  with  rage,  and 
just  gesturing  his  commands  that  the  men  should  be  brought 
before  him. 

"  Is  it  true,  O  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abednego,  that  you 
w^ould  not  bow  down  and  worship  the  golden  image  which  I 
set  up  in  the  plain  of  Dura  ?  " 

"  It  is  true,  quite  true,"  says  one  of  them — perhaps 
Shadrach.     "  Quite  true,  O  king." 

One  last  chance  Nebuchadnezzar  resolved  to  give  them. 
"Now,  if  ye  be  ready  that  at  what  time  ye  hear  the  sound  of 
the  cornet,  flute,  harp,  sackbut,  psaltery,  and  dulcimer,  and  all 
kinds  of  music,  ye  fall  down  and  worship  the  image  which  I 
have  made — well  :  but  if  ye  worship  not,  ye  shall  be  cast  the 
same  hour  into  the  midst  of  a  burning  fiery  furnace.  And 
who  is  that  God  that  shall  deliver  you  out  of  my  hands  ?  " 

That  is  pretty  plain  speaking,  is  it  not?  There  is  no 
mincing  or  smoothing  over  matters.  Do  this,  and  live  ;  do  not 
do  it,  and  you  die.  But  the  threat  that  the  king  held  out  had 
few  terrors  for  them.  They  turned  and  said  to  the  king  :  "  O 
Nebuchadnezzar,  we  are  not  careful  to  answer  thee  in  this 
matter.  If  it  be  so,  our  God  whom  we  serve  is  able  to  deUver 
us  from  the  burning  fiery  furnace ;  and  He  will  deliver  us  out 
of  thine  hand,  O  king.  But  if  not,  be  it  known  unto  thee,  O 
king,  that  we  will  not  serve  thy  gods,  nor  worship  the  golden 
image  which  thou  hast  set  up." 

And  that  is  plain  speaking,  too.      The  king  of  Babylon 


24  ♦*  H^E  WILL  NOT!'' 

had  not  been  accustomed  to  be  talked  to  like  that.  And  he 
did  not  like  it.     We  are  told  he  was  "  full  of  fury." 

These  Hebrews  spoke  respectfully,  but  firmly.  And  mark, 
they  did  not  absolutely  say  that  God  would  deliver  them  from 
the  burning  fiery  furnace ;  but  they  declared  that  He  was  able 
to  deliver  them.  They  had  no  doubt  about  His  ability  to  do 
it.  They  believed  that  He  would  do  it;  but  they  did  not 
hide  from  themselves  the  possibiHty  of  Nebuchadnezzar  being 
allowed  to  carry  out  his  threats.  Still,  that  did  not  greatly 
move  them.  "  But  if  nof^ — if  in  His  inscrutable  purposes  He 
allows  us  to  suffer — still  our  resolve  is  the  same  :  "  we  will 
not  serve  thy  gods,  nor  worship  the  golden  image  which  thou 
hast  set  up."  They  were  not  afraid  to  pass  from  the  presence 
of  the  king  of  Babylon  to  the  presence  of  the  King  of  kings. 
They  had  courage,  those  men.  I  wonder  if  there  could  be 
found  three  such  brave  men  in  New  York,  or  in  Boston,  ot  in 
Baltimore,  or  in  Chicago,  now.  How  settled  they  were  in 
their  minds !  Thank  God  for  such  courage !  thank  God  for 
such  boldness  !  A  few  such  men,  brave  and  fearless  for  God, 
would  soon  turn  the  world  upside  down.  Nowadays  they 
would  be  thought  fanatics  :  they  would  be  advised  to  bow 
down  outwardly,  and  never  to  mind  the  ''  worship  "  of  the 
image.  But  even  the  semblance  of  w^orshipping  an  image  was 
too  much  for  them  ;  and  they  wxre  determined  to  avoid  even 
the  appearance  of  evil. 

Look  at  the  king !  I  can  imagine  him  in  his  fury,  trem- 
bling like  an  aspen  leaf,  and  turning  pale  as  death  with  rage. 
"  What !  disobey  me,  the  great  and  mighty  king?  Call  in  the 
mighty  men  ;  and  let  them  bind  these  rebels  hand  and  foot. 
Heat  the  furnace  seven  times  hotter  than  its  wont ;  and  then 
in  with  these  rebellious  fellows  !    They  shall  not  live." 

"Then  these  men  were  bound  in  their  coats,  their  hosen, 
and  their  hats,  and  their  other  garments,  and  were  cast  into 
the  midst  of  the  burning  fiery  furnace." 


"ZC.  /  SEE  FOUR  MEN*  25 

The  command  was  instantly  executed ;  and  .they  were 
hurled  into  the  terrible  blaze.  The  lire  was  so  furious  that  the 
flames  consumed  the  officers  who  thrust  them  in.*  The  three 
young  Hebrews  "  fell  down  bound  into  the  midst  of  the  burn- 
ing fiery  furnace  ;  "  and  it  seemed  as  if  they  were  in  a  bad  case 
then.  From  his  royal  seat  the  king  peered  forth,  looking  oui 
to  see  the  rebels  burnt  to  ashes.  But  when  Nebuchadnezzar 
gazed,  expecting  the  gratification  of  his  vengeance,  to  his  great 
amazement  he  saw  the  men  walking  about  in  the  midst  of  the 
flames;  walking,  mind  you — they  were  not  running— walking 
as  if  in  the  midst  of  green  pastures  or  on  the  margin  of  still 
waters.  There  was  no  difference  in  them,  except  that  their 
bonds  were  burnt  off.  Ah,  it  does  my  heart  good  to  think  that 
the  worst  the  devil  is  allowed  to  do  is  to  burn  off  the  bonds  of 
God's  children.  If  Christ  be  with  us,  the  direst  afflictions  can 
only  loosen  our  earthly  bonds,  and  set  us  free  to  soar  the 
higher. 

Nebuchadnezzar  beheld  strange  things  that  day.  There, 
through  the  flames,  he  saw  four  men  walking  in  the  midst  of 
the  fire,  although  only  three  had  been  cast  therein.  How  was 
this  ?  The  Great  Shepherd  in  yonder  heaven  saw  that  three  of 
His  lambs  were  in  trouble  ;  and  He  leaped  down  from  there 
right  into  the  fiery  furnace.  And  when  Nebuchadnezzar  looked 
in,  a  fourth  form  was  to  be  seen. 

"  Did  not  we  cast  three  men  bound  into  the  midst  of  the 
fire  ?     They  answered  and  said  unto  the  king,  True,  O  king. 

*  Those  who  have  stood  upon  the  "  feed  "  platform  of  a  great  iron-smelting 
furnace,  and  have  felt  the  enormous  pressure  of  the  atmosphere  as  it  rushes 
forward  to  fill  up  the  vacuum  caused  by  the  rarefaction  of  the  air  from  the 
furnace,  and  have  experienced  the  suck  or  draw  towards  the  edge  of  the  plat- 
form which  is  felt  when  the  furnace  doors  are  thrown  open,  will  easily  under- 
stand how  perilous  a  near  approach  to  the  mouth  would  be  likely  to  prove  ; 
and  how  easily  Nebuchadnezzar's  "  mighty  men"  would  themselves  be  drawn 
into  the  power  of  the  flames,  if  they  once  ventured  within  the  range  of  their 
attraction. 


26  **DARE  TO  DO  RIGHT.'* 

He  answered  and  said,  Lo,  I  see  lour  men  loose,  walking  in 
the  midst  of  the  fire,  and  they  have  no  hurt ;  and  the  form  of 
the  fourth  is  Hke  the  Son  of  God." 

It  was  doubtksi  the  Son  of  God.*  That  Great  Shepherd 
of  the  sheep  saw  that  three  of  His  true  servants  were  in  peril; 
and  He  came  from  His  Father's  presence  and  His  Father's 
bosom  to  be  with  them  in  it.  There  had  been  One  watching 
that  terrible  scene  of  attempting  to  burn  the  faithful ;  and  His 
tender  pitying  eye  saw  that  men  were  condemned  to  death 
because  of  their  loyalty  to  Him.  With  one  great  leap  He 
sprang  from  the  Father's  presence,  from  His  palace  in  glory, 
right  down  into  the  fiery  furnace,  and  was  by  their  side  before 
the  heat  of  the  fire  could  come  near  unto  them.  Jesus  was 
with  His  servants  as  the  flames  wreathed  around  them.  And 
not  a  hair  of  their  heads  was  singed;  they  were  not  scorched; 
not  even  the  smell  of  fire  was  upon  them  I  can  almost  fancy 
I  hear  them  chanting:  "When  thou  passest  through  the 
waters  I  will  be  with  thee ;  and  through  the  rivers,  they  shall 
not  overflow  thee  ;  ivhen  thou  walkest  through  the  fire,  thou  shalt 
not  be  burtied;  neither  shall  the  flame  kindle  upon  thee'' 

God  can  take  care  of  us  when  we  pass  through  the  waters ; 
God  can  take  care  of  us  when  we  pass  through  the  fires.  God 
is  able  to  take  care  of  us,  if  we  will  but  stand  up  for  Him  :  God 
will  take  care  of  us,  if  we  will  but  stand  up  for  Him.  Young 
man,  honour  God;  and  God  will  honour  you.  What  you 
have  to  do  is  to  take  your  stand  upon  God's  side.  And  if 
you  have  to  go  against  the  whole  world,  take  that  stand. 
Dare  to  do  right;  dare  to  be  true;  dare  to  be  honest: 
let  the  consequences  be  what  they  may.  You  may  have 
to    forfeit    your    situation;    because    you    cannot,    and    will 

*  That  the  fourth  was  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ— He  who  appeared  to 
Abraham,  and  who  wrestled  with  Jacob — has  been  an  accepted  truth  with 
almost  every  one  who  ministers  the  word.  It  is  only  fair  to  say  that  in  the 
original  the  definite  article  is  absent ;  and  the  sentence  reads,  "  like  a  son  of 
gods." 


DELIVERANCE.  27 

not,  do  something  which  your  employer  requires  you  to 
do,  but  which  your  conscience  tells  you  is  wrong.  Give 
up  your  situation  then,  rather  than  give  up  your  principles. 
If  your  employer  requires  you  to  sell  goods  by  means 
of  misrepresentation,  fraud,  or  falsehood,  give  up  your 
situation,  and  say..  *'  I  will  rather  die  a  pauper ;  I  will  rather 
die  in  a  poorhouse;  than  be  unfaithful  to  my  principles."  That 
is  the  kind  of  stuff  those  men  were  made  of  These  glorious 
heroes  braved  even  death  because  God  was  with  them.  O 
friends,  we  want  to  be  Christians  with  the  same  backbone  : 
men  and  women  who  are  prepared  to  stand  up  for  the  right, 
heeding  not  what  the  world  may  say  or  what  the  world  may 
think. 

*'Then  Nebuchadnezzar  came  near  to  the  mouth  of  the 
burning  fiery  furnace,  and  spake,  and  said,  Shadrach, 
Meshach,  and  Abednego,  ye  servants  of  the  Most  High 
God,  come  forth,  and  come  hither."  And  they  walked 
out,  untouched  by  the  fire.  They  came  out,  like 
giants  in  their  conscious  strength.  I  can  fancy  how  the 
princes,  the  governors,  the  counsellors,  and  the  great  men, 
crowded  around  them  to  see  such  an  unheard-of  sight. 
Their  garments  showed  no  trace  of  fire ;  their  hair  even  was 
not  singed — as  if  God  would  teach  that  He  guards  even 
"  the  very  hairs  of  our  head."  Nebuchadnezzar  had  defied 
God ;  and  had  been  conquered.  God  had  proved  Himself 
"able"  to  deliver  His  servants  out  of  the  king's  hand. 
Nebuchadnezzar  accepted  his  defeat.  And  he  makes  a 
decree :  "  That  every  people,  nation,  and  language,  which 
speak  anything  against  the  God  of  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and 
Abednego,  shall  be  cut  in  pieces,  and  their  houses  shall  be 
made  a  dunghill :  because  there  is  no  other  God  that  can 
deliver  after  this  sort." 

And  he  promoted  these  three  witnesses  to  higher  place 
and  position,  and  put  greater  honour  upon  them.     God  stood 


28  STAND  FIRM! 

by  them  because  they  had  stood  by  Him.  He  will  have  us 
learn  to  do  a  thing  just  because  it  is  right,  and  not  because 
it  is  popular.  The  outlook  may  appear  Hke  death  :  but  do  the 
right ;  and,  if  we  stand  firm,  God  will  bring  everything  for  the 
best. 

That  is  the  last  we  hear  of  these  three  men.     God  sent 
them  to  Babylon  to  shine     and  they  shone. 


•'LIVING!    WORKING!   WAITING  1" 

"  Who  would  not  live  for  Jesus, 
Rejoicing,  glad  and  free  ? 
The  music  of  a  ransomed  life 
Is  all  He  asks  from  thee. 

**  Who  would  not  work  for  Jesus, 
When  service  is  but  song  ? — 
The  rippling  of  a  stream  of  love 
That  bears  thy  soul  along  ? 

"  Who  would  not  die  for  Jesus, 
When  death  is  victory? — 
The  grand,  o'ershadowing  portal-gate 
Guarding  eternity  ? 

**  Who  would  not  zvait  for  Jesus, 
And  waiting,  sweetly  sing  ? 
Hushing  their  heart  with  promises 
While  tarrying  for  their  King  ?  " 


Eva  Travers  Poole. 


IV. 

NEBUCHADNEZZAR' S  SECOND  DREAM. 

"  I,  Nebuchadnezzar,  was  at  rest  in  mine  house,  and  flourishing 
in  my  palace :  I  saw  a  dream  which  made  me  afraid,  and  the  thoughts 
upon  my  bed  and  the  visions  of  my  head  troubled  me  "  (Dan.  iv.  5). 

Y  AND  BY  Nebuchadnezzar  had  another  dream. 
Surely  this  man  will  be  brought  to  see  God's 
hand  at  last.  How  many  signs  and  wonders  has 
he  seen,  fitted  to  convince  him  of  God's  mighty 
power  !  This  time  he  remembers  the  particulars  of 
the  dream  well  enough  :  they  stand  out  vivid  and  clear  to  his 
mind.  Again  he  calls  in  the  four  classes  of  men  on  whom 
he  counts  to  make  dark  things  light,  and  hidden  things  plain ; 
and  he  recounts  to  them  the  incidents  of  this  dream.  But  the 
magicians,  the  astrologers,  the  Chaldaeans,  and  the  soothsayers, 
are  all  at  fault :  they  cannot  tell  him  the  interpretation. 
When  called  upon  to  interpret  his  former  dream  they  all  stood 
silent.  And  they  stood  silent  again  as  the  second  dream  is 
unfolded  to  them.  There  was  something  in  these  dreams  of 
the  king  which  stopped  their  mouths — usually  so  ready  with 
some  plausible  interpretation.  With  these  royal  dreams  it  was 
no  use  :  they  were  beaten. 

It  would  appear  that  Nebuchadnezzar  had  half- forgotten 
the  man  who  had  recounted  to  him  his  former  dream,  and 
given  its  interpretation.  He  says,  "  At  last  Daniel  came  before 
me."  And  he  proceeds  to  address  Daniel  by  his  Chaldcxan 
name    of    Belteshazzar.      '*0   Belteshazzar,    master    of    the 


30  THE  SECOND  VISION, 

magicians,  because  I  know  that  the  spirit  of  the  holy  gods  is 
in  thee,  and  no  secret  troubleth  thee,  tell  me  the  visions  of  my 
dream  that  I  have  seen,  and  the  interpretation  thereof.  Thus 
were  the  visions  of  mine  head  in  my  bed ;  I  saw,  and  behold 
a  tree  in  the  midst  of  the  earth,  and  the  height  thereof  was 
great.  The  tree  grew,  and  was  strong ;  and  the  height  thereof 
reached  unto  heaven,  and  the  sight  thereof  to  the  end  of  all  the 
earth  :  the  leaves  thereof  were  fair  and  the  fruit  thereof  much, 
and  in  it  was  meat  for  all  :  the  beasts  of  the  field  had  shadow 
under  it,  and  the  fowls  of  the  heaven  dwelt  in  the  boughs 
thereof,  and  all  flesh  was  fed  of  it.  I  saw  in  the  visions  of  my 
head  upon  my  bed ;  and  behold,  a  watcher  and  an  holy  one 
came  down  from  heaven :  he  cried  aloud,  and  said  thus,  Hew 
down  the  tree  and  cut  off  his  branches,  shake  off  his  leaves, 
and  scatter  his  fruit  :  let  the  beasts  get  away  from  under  it,  and 
the  fowls  from  his  branches :  nevertheless  leave  the  stump  of 
his  roots  in  the  earth,  even  with  a  band  of  iron  and  brass,  in 
the  tender  grass  of  the  field ;  and  let  it  be  wet  with  the  dew  of 
heaven,  and  let  his  portion  be  with  the  beasts  in  the  grass  of 
the  earth  :  let  his  heart  be  changed  from  man's,  and  let  a 
beast's  heart  be  given  unto  him  ;  and  let  seven  times  pass  over 
him.  This  matter  is  by  the  decree  of  the  watchers,  and  the 
demand  by  the  word  of  the  holy  ones :  to  the  intent  that  the 
living  may  know  that  the  Most  High  ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of 
men,  and  giveth  it  to  whomsoever  He  will,  and  setteth  up  over 
it  the  basest  of  men.  This  dream  I,  King  Nebuchadnezzar, 
have  seen.  Now  thou,  O  Belteshazzar,  declare  the  interpre- 
tation thereof,  forasmuch  as  all  the  wise  men  of  my  kingdom 
are  not  able  to  make  known  unto  me  the  interpretation :  but 
thou  art  able  :  for  the  spirit  of  the  holy  gods  is  in  thee." 

As  soon  as  the  prophet  appears  upon  the  scene  the  king 
feels  sure  that  he  will  now  get  the  meaning  of  the  dream. 

For  a  time  Daniel  stands  still  and  motionless.  Does  his 
heart  fail  him  ?     The  record  simply  says  he  "  was  astonied  for 


DANIEL  BEFORE  THE  KING,  3i 

one  hour ;  and  his  thoughts  troubled  him."  He  saw  what 
was  meant  by  the  royal  dream — that  the  king  was  to  have 
a  terrible  fall ;  and  that  the  kingdom  was,  at  least  for  a 
season,  to  be  taken  from  this  proud  monarch.  The  ready 
words  rush  to  his  lips ;  but  he  hates  to  let  them  out.  He 
does  not  want  to  tell  Nebuchadnezzar  that  his  kingdom  and 
his  mind  are  both  about  to  depart  from  him ;  and  that  he  is 
to  wander  forth  to  eat  grass  like  a  beast.  The  king,  too, 
hesitates  :  a  dark  foreboding  for  a  time  gets  the  better  of  his 
curiosity.  But  soon  he  nerves  himself  to  hear  the  worst;  and 
in  kindly  words  desires  Daniel  to  proceed,  to  tell  out  all  he 
knows.  And  Daniel  breaks  the  silence.  He  does  not  smooth 
over  the  matter ;  but  speaks  out  plainly.  There  and  then  he 
preached  righteousness  to  the  king.  A  very  good  sermon  it 
was  too  that  he  preached.  If  we  had  more  of  the  same  sort 
now  it  would  be  the  better  for  us.  He  entreats  the  king  to 
"  break  off  his  sins  by  righteousness,  and  his  iniquities  by 
showing  mercy  to  the  poor :  if  it  may  be  a  lengthening  of  thy 
tranquillity." 

Perhaps  he  told  him,  for  his  encouragement,  how  the 
King  of  Nineveh,  more  than  two  centuries  before,  had  repented 
at  the  preaching  of  Jonah.  He  unfolds  the  full  meaning  of  the 
dream.  He  tells  the  king  that  the  great  and  strong  tree 
symbolizes  Nebuchadnezzar  himself;  and  that  just  as  the  tree 
was  hewn  down  and  destroyed,  so  will  he  himself  be  shorn  of 
power  and  robbed  of  strength.  Daniel  tells  him  that  he  will 
be  driven  from  among  men,  and  have  to  herd  with  the  beasts 
of  the  field  :  yet  that  nevertheless  the  kingdom  should  in  the 
end  revert  to  him,  just  as  the  great  watcher  had  spared  the 
stump  of  the  tree. 

Repentance  might  have  deferred,  or  even  averted,  the  threat- 
ened calamity.  But  at  that  time  he  "repented  not."  And  twelve 
months  afterwards  the  king,  heedless  of  the  prophetic  warning, 
and  lifted  up  with   pride,  walked  either  through  the  corridors 


32 


•'  THE  KINGDOM  IS  DEPARTED.' 


of  his  great  palace,  or  out  upon  its  roof;  looked  forth  upon 
the  city's  vast  extent ;  gazed  at  those  hanging  gardens  which 
counted  as  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  world ;  and  said :  "  Is 
not  this  great  Babylon,  that  I  have  built  for  the  house  of  the 
kingdom,  by  the  might  of  my  power,  and  for  the  honour  of  my 
majesty?" 

A  voice  from  heaven  instantly  cried,  "  The  kingdom  is 
departed  from  thee."  And  then  and  there  God  touched  his 
reason  :  it  reeled  and  tottered  on  its  throne,  and  fled.  He 
was  driven  forth  from  men ;  he  herded  with  animals ;  his  body 
was  wet  with  the  dew  of  heaven.  This  greatest  of  princes 
had  gone  clean  mad.  It  would  not  take  me  fifteen  minutes 
to-day  to  prove  that  the  world  has  gone  clean  mad;  and  the 
mass  of  professing  Christians  too.  Do  not  men  think  and  talk 
as  if  everything  were  done  by  their  own  power  ?  Is  not  God 
completely  forgotten?  Do  not  men  neglect  every  warning 
that  He  in  mercy  sends  ?  Yes,  men  are  mad,  and  nothing 
short  of  it. 

Nebuchadnezzar's  repentance. 

But  Nebuchadnezzar's  kingdom  had  not  passed  away  from 
him  irrevocably ;  for,  according  to  the  prophet's  word,  at  the 
close  of  the  "  seven  times  "  his  understanding  returned  to  him  ; 
he  resumed  his  throne  and  his  authority  ;  and  his  counsellors 
and  officers  again  gathered  around  him.  His  power  has  been 
given  back  to  him  ;  and  he  is  now  a  very  different  man.  Of  a 
truth  the  king's  reason  has  returned  to  him  :  and  he  is  pos- 
sessed of  a  very  different  spirit.  He  sends  forth  a  new  pro- 
clamation giving  honour  to  the  Most  High,  and  extolling  the 
God  of  heaven.  Its  closing  words  show  his  repentance,  and  tend 
to  prove  that  Daniel  had  brought  this  mighty  king  to  God. 

It  is  interesting  to  go  over  the  different  proclamations  of 
Nebuchadnezzar,  and  note  the  change  that  takes  place  in  them. 
He  sent  out  one  proclamation  setting  forth  what  other  people 


PRAISING  GCD.  33 

ought  to  do,  and  how  they  should  serve  the  God  of  these 
Hebrews.  But  the  truth  did  not  get  home  to  himself  until 
now.  Here  is  his  closing  proclamation  :  "At  the  end  of  the 
days,  I,  Nebuchadnezzar,  lifted  up  mine  eyes  unto  heaven, 
and  mine  understanding  returned  unto  me ;  and  I  blessed 
the  Most  High,  and  I  praised  and  honoured  Him  that 
liveth  for  ever,  whose  dominion  is  an  everlasting  dominion, 
and  His  kingdom  is  from  generation  to  generation.  At  the 
same  time  my  reason  returned  unto  me  :  and  for  the  glory  of 
my  kingdom,  mine  honour  and  brightness  returned  unto  me  ; 
and  my  counsellors,  and  my  lords  sought  unto  me  :  and  I  was 
established  in  my  kingdom,  and  excellent  majesty  was  added 
unto  me.  Now  I,  Nebuchadnezzar,  praise  and  extol  and 
honour  the  King  of  heaven,  all  whose  works  are  truth,  and 
His  ways  judgment :  and  those  that  walk  in  pride  He  is  able 
to  abase." 

When  you  find  that  a  man  has  got  to  praising  God  it  is  a 
good  sign.  The  earlier  edict  said  much  about  other  people's 
duty  towards  the  God  of  the  Hebrews,  but  nothing  about  what 
the  king  himself  should  do.  Oh,  let  us  get  to  personal  love, 
personal  praise  !  That  is  what  is  wanted  in  the  church  in  the 
present  day.  Nebuchadnezzar  passes  from  the  stage  :  this  is 
the  last  record  we  have  of  him.  But  we  may  surely  hope 
that,  like  that  of  the  Corinthians,  his  was  a  "  repentance  to  sal- 
vation not  to  be  repented  of"  And  if  this  were  so  we  may 
well  believe  that  to-day  Nebuchadnezzar  the  king  and  Daniel 
the  captive  are  walking  the  crystal  pavement  of  heaven  arm-in- 
arm together ;  and,  it  may  be,  talking  over  the  old  times  in 
Babylon.  Now,  if  the  young  prophet  had  been  of  a  vacillating 
character  ;  if  he  had  been  of  a  willowy  growth,  liable  to  be 
shaken  by  every  wind,  and  had  not  stood  there  in  that  city 
like  a  great  oak — do  you  think  he  would  have  won  this  mighty 
monarch  to  his  religion  and  his  God  ?  As  a  result  of  that  young 
man  going  to  that  heathen  city  and  standing  firm  for  his  God, 

3 


34 


A  PURPOSE  FIRM. 


and  the  God  of  the  Bible,  the  Lord  honoured  him,  and  gave 
him  that  mighty  monarch  as  a  star  in  his  crown.  We  may 
fairly  say  that  King  Nebuchadnezzar  was  led  to  the  God  of  the 
Hebrews  through  the  faith  of  this  Hebrew's  love— just  because 
he  had 

"  a  purpose  firm, 
And  dared  to  make  it  known," 


THE  MASTER'S  SERVICE. 

*'  Service  of  Jesus  !     Oh,  service  of  sweetness  ! 
There  are  no  bonds  in  that  service  for  me  ; 
Full  of  delight  and  most  perfect  completeness  : 
Evermore  His,  yet  so  joyously  free  ! 

*'  Service  of  Jesus  !     Oh,  service  of  power  ! 

Sharing  His  glory,  while  sharing  His  shame  I 
All  the  best  blessings  the  Master  can  shower 
Rest  on  the  servant  exalting  His  name. 

*'  Service  of  Jesus  !     Oh,  service  joy-giving  ! 
Melting  our  hearts  into  rivers  of  love  ; 
Secret  of  life  and  the  sweetness  of  living, 
Joy  felt  on  earth  that  will  fill  us  above, 

"  Service  of  Jesus  !     Oh,  service  of  praising  ! 
Such  as  redeemed  ones  rejoicing  can  sing, 
Daily  and  hourly  their  voices  upraising, 

Lau  ing  their  Saviour,  extolling  their  King." 

Eva  Travers  Poole. 


V. 


THE  HAND  WRITING  ON  THE    WALL. 

*'  Belshazzar  the  king  made  a  great  feast  to  a  thousand  of  his  lords,  and 
drank  wine  before  the  thousand"  (Dan.  v.  i). 

ND  now,  for  twenty  long  years  or  more,  we  lose 
sight  of  Daniel.  He  may  possibly  have  been  for 
a  portion  of  the  interval  living  in  retirement ;  but 
at  the  end  of  it  he  still  appears  to  be  holding  some 
appointment  at  the  Babylonish  court ;  although 
most  likely  occupying  a  less  prominent  position  than  of  yore. 
Nebuchadnezzar  had  died ;  and  there  was  now  ruling  in 
Babylon,  or  it  may  be  acting  in  some  such  position  as 
"Regent,"  a  young  man  whose  name  was  Belshazzar.*  This 
youthful  ruler  "  made  a  great   feast  to  a  thousand  of  his  lords, 

*  It  is  thought  by  scholars  that  Belshazzar  was  admitted  to  a  share  of  the 
sovereignty  in  conjunction  with  his  father  Nabonadius,  in  much  the  same  wa 
as,  years  previously,  Nebuchadnezzar  had  reigned  in  association  with  his 
father.  It  has  been  further  stated  that  Nabon--dius  had  shortly  before 
fought  a  battle  with  Cyrus,  been  worsted,  and  had  taken  refuge  in  Borsippa. 
Consequently,  Belshazzar  was  acting  in  his  father's  stead.  But  wh.il  a  time 
'for  revelry,  with  a  victorious  enemy  at  the  gates,  and  a  lather  shui  up  in  a 
bel  aguered  fortress  !  The  sirge  of  Paris  going  on  at  the  same  time  as  the 
investment  of  Metz,  presents  something  like  a  modern  parallel  to  the  position 
of  affairs. 

Reverting  for  a  moment  to  Nebuchadnezzar,  the  fact  that  for  a  time  he  shared 
in  his  father's  kingly  authority,  before  becoming  sole  sovereign,  explains  some 
apparent  difficulty  as  to  dates.  For  example,  Nebuchadnezzar  is  termed 
"  Kin^  of  Babylon,"  vxhcn  he  fir-t  lays  sege  to  Jerus  lem  (Dan.  i.  i  ;  2  Kmgs 
xxiv.  I  ;  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  6).     Ho  carries  away  Daniel  and  other  captives  as 


36  A  GREAT  FEAST. 

and  drank  wine  before  the  thousand."  Of  this  prince  we  only 
get  a  single  glimpse.  This  scene  of  the  feast  is  the  first  and 
last  view  we  have  of  him  ;  and  it  is  enough.  How  long  that 
banqueting  lasted  we  do  not  know ;  but  in  the  East  feasts 
often  extend  over  many  days.  Amongst  the  Jews  seven  days 
was  not  an  unusual  time  for  the  duration  of  a  feast,  and  occa- 
sionally the  time  was  extended  to  twice  seven  days,  i.e.^  four- 
teen days.  It  was  a  "great  feast."  The  king  caroused  with 
his  satraps  and  princes,  his  lords,  and  the  mighty  men  of 
Babylon,  together  with  his  wives  and  concubines,  drinking 
and  rioting,  and  praising  the  "gods  of  gold,  and  of  silver,  of 
brass,  of  iron,  of  wood,  and  of  stone."  That  is  pretty  much 
what  men  are  doing  to  day,  if  they  are  bowing  their  knee  to 
the  god  of  this  world.  Cyrus,  the  great  Persian  general,  is 
outside  the  gates,  besieging  the  city,  just  as  Nebuchadnezzar 
had  besieged  Jerusalem.  And  this  Belshazzar  fancies  him- 
self secure  behind  the  lofty  and  massive  walls  that  encompass 
Babylon. 

The  revellers  wax  daring  and  wanton.  They  had  for- 
gotten the  power  of  the  God  of  the  Hebrews,  as  shown  in  the 
days  of  Nebuchadnezzar.  Heated  with  wine  and  lifted  up 
with  pride,   they  laid   their  sacrilegious  hands  on  the  golden 

hostages,  and  returns  to  Babylon.  He  then  commands  that  the  education 
and  training  of  the  four  young  Hebrews  is  to  be  effected,  and  allots  threeyears 
for  the  purpose.  Three  years  are  passed  in  their  instruction  ;  and  they  are  then 
admitted  into  the  order  of  the  magi,  or  wise  men.  (Compare  Dan.  i.  s  ;  i.  i8  ; 
ii.  13.)  And  yet,  although  between  three  and  four  years  have  elapsed  since 
the  siege  of  Jerusalem,  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream  is  said  to  have  occurred  in 
the  "  .second  year"  of  his  reign.  There  is  a  seeming  discrepancy  here.  Rut 
let  it  be  understood  that  the  term  "second  yer.r  "  in  Dan.  ii.  i,  refers  to  the 
time  subsequent  to  his  father's  death,  during  which  he  had  reigned  alone  ;  and 
the  difficulty  is  removed. 

The  instance  of  the  "  regency"  in  England,  during  which  period  tne  Prince 
Regent  acted  with  large  powers,  "  in  all  but  name  a  king,"  although  George 
III.  still  lived,  will  serve  partially  to  illustrate  the  position  of  Nebuchadnezzar 
at  one  time,  and  of  Belshazzar  at  anot'/er  ;  although  the  parallel  is  by  no 
means  complete. 


THE  ''FINGERS  OF  A  MAN'S  HAND,"  37 

vessels  which  hn.d  been  brought  out  of  the  temple  of  the  house 
of  God  which  was  at  Jerusalem ;  and  out  of  those  sacred  cups 
they  drank.  And  as  they  drank  to  their  idols,  one  can  readily 
believe  that  they  scoffed  at  the  God  of  Israel.  I  could  almost 
picture  the  scene  before  me  now,  and  can  imagine  I  hear 
them  blaspheming  His  holy  name.  Now  thoy  make  merry ; 
now  they  are  in  the  midst  of  their  boisterous  revelry.  But 
lo  !  stop  !  What  is  the  matter?  The  king  is  struck  by  some- 
thing that  he  sees  !  His  countenance  has  changed.  He  has 
turned  deadly  pale  !  The  wine  cup  has  fallen  from  his  grasp  ! 
His  knees  smite  together.  He  trembles  from  head  to  foot. 
I  should  not  wonder  if  his  lords  and  nobles  did  not  laugh 
in  their  sleeve  at  him,  thinking  he  was  drunk.  But,  there, 
along  the  wall,  standing  out  in  living  light,  are  seen  letters  of 
strange  and  unintelligible  shape.  "In  the  same  hour  came 
forth  fingers  of  a  man's  hand,  and  wrote  over  against  the 
candlestick  upon  the  plaster  of  the  wall  of  the  king's  palace  ; 
and  the  king  saw  the  part  of  the  hand  that  wrote." 

Above  the  golden  candlestick,*  on  a  bare  space  of  the 
wall,t  Belshazzar  beholds  that  mysterious  handwriting.  He 
distinctly  discerns  the  tracing  of  those  terrible  words.  Was  that 
writing  on  the  palace  wall  the  work  of  the  same  hand  that 
had  traced  the  tables  of  stone  at  Sinni?     Or  did  some  angel- 

*  A  recent  writer  snys  :  "  The  fingers  '  wrote  over  against  the  candlestick." 
What  candlestick  ?  '  The  candlestick  of  gold,  with  the  lamps  thereof.'  which 
Solomon  had  made.  It  was  there  exhibited  in  mockery  and  iriumph  ;  as, 
ages  after,  its  counterpart  adorned  the  triumph  of  the  Roman  emperor,  and 
wab  sculptured  in  bas-ielicf  on  the  Arch  of  Titus,  to  be  seen  in  Rome  this  very 
jjay."— Daniel  :  Statesman   and  Pkophp:t,  Page  160. 

+  The  writing  was  traced  on  the  plain  plaster  on  the  walls  of  the  banquet- 
room  ;  such  as,  notwiihst  inding  the  then  prevailing  taste  for  ornament,  is  still 
found  on  the  palaces  of  Nineveh.  Those  who  have  seen  Mr.  I.ayard's  large 
and  magnificent  drawings  of  Assyrian  antiquities,  will  remember  that  elaborate 
decoration  extends  (  nly  to  a  certain  height.  Above  that  line  the  wall  is  quite 
plain,  and  is,  to  this  day,  coated  with  lime."— Daniel  :  States.man  and 
Prophet,  Page  i6o. 


38  THE  HANDWRITING  ON  THE  WALL. 

messenger  execute  the  Divine  commission  ?  The  words, 
"fingers  of  a  man's  hand,"  seem  to  imply  the  latter. 

The  king  cries  aloud,  and  commands  that  the"  astrologers, 
the  Chaldaeans,  and  the  soothsayers,  should  be  brought  for- 
ward. They  come  trooping  in  ;  and  he  says  to  them  :  "  Who- 
soever shall  read  this  writing,  and  show  me  the  interpretation 
thereof,  shall  be  clothed  with  scarlet  (or  purple),  and  have  a 
chain  of  gold  about  his  neck,  and  shall  be  the  third  ruler*  in 
the  kingdom." 

One  after  another  tries  to  spell  out  that  writing ;  but  they 
fail  to  understand  it.  They  are  skilled  in  Chald?ean  learning  ; 
but  this  inscription  baffles  them.  They  cannot  make  out 
the  meaning,  any  more  than  an  unrenewed  man  can  make  out 
the  Bible.  They  do  not  understand  God's  writing :  they 
cannot  comprehend  it.  A  man  must  be  born  of  the  Spirit 
before  he  can  understand  God's  Book  or  God's  writing.  No 
uncircumcised  eyes  could  decipher  those  words  of  fire. 

The  queen  t  hears  of  the  state  of  affairs,  and  comes  in  to 
encourage  and  advise.  She  salutes  the  king  with  the  words, 
"  O  king,  live  for  ever  !  let  not  thy  thoughts  trouble  thee,  nor 
let  thy  countenance  be  changed  " ;  and  then  she  goes  on  to 
tell  him  that  there  is  one  man  in  the  kingdom  who  will  be 
able  to  read  the  writing,  and  tell  out  its  meaning.  She  proceeds 
to  say  that  in  the  days  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  "  fight,  and  under- 
standing, and  wisdom,  like  the  wisdom  of  the  gods,  was  found 
in  him  "  ;  and  advises  that  Daniel  shall  be  summoned. 

For  some — perhaps  several — years  he  may  have  been  com- 
paratively little  known  :  may  have  "  dropped  out  of  notice," 
as  we  say.  But  now,  for  the  third  time,  he  stands  before  a 
Babylonian  ruler  to  interpret  and  to  reveal,  when  the  powers 

*  "  The  third  ruler,"  mark  that  !  Belshazzar's  father,  Nabonadius,  pro- 
bably counting  as  \\\q first ;  Belshazzar,  the  associate-king,  as  the  second  ;  and 
the  successful  interpreter,  as  the  third.  i 

t  From  the  autlioiity  with  which  she  speaks,  it  has  been  conjectured  that 
this  was  the  queen-mother. 


PLAIN  WORDS.  39 

of  its  magicians  and  astrologers  have  utterly  failed.  Daniel 
comes  in ;  and  his  eye  lights  up  as  he  sees  the  letters  upon 
the  wall.  He  can  read  the  meaning  of  the  words.  The  king 
puts  forth  his  offer  of  rewards ;  but  Daniel  is  unmoved  :  "  Let 
thy  gifts  be  to  thyself,  and  give  thy  rewards  to  another :  yet  I 
will  read  the  writing  unto  the  king,  and  make  known  to  him 
the  interpretation." 

But  before  he  reads  the  words  u[)on  the  wall  he  gives  the 
king  a  bit  of  his  mind.  Perhaps  he  had  been  long  praying  for 
an  opportunity  of  warning  him  ;  and  now  he  has  it,  he  will  not 
let  it  slip,  although  all  those  mighty  lords  are  there.  So  he 
reminds  the  king  of  the  lessons  he  ought  to  have  learned  from 
the  visitation  that  fell  upon  the  mighty  Nebuchadnezzar :  of  how 
that  monarch  had  been  humbled,  brought  down,  and  deposed 
from  his  kingly  throne,  because  "  his  heart  was  lifted  up,  and  his 
mind  hardened  in  pride  ;"  until  at  length  he  came  to  repent- 
ance, and  realized  that  the  Most  High  God  ruleth  in  the 
kingdom  of  men.  "And  thou  his  son,*  O  Belshazzar,  hast 
not  humbled  thine  heart,  though  thou  knewest  all  this ;  but 
hast  lifted  up  thyself  against  the  Lord  of  heaven." 

Then  looking  up  at  the  mystic  words  standing  forth  in 
their  lambent  light,  he  reads  : 

"MENE,    MENE,    TEKEL,    UPHARSIN:" 

MENE  :  God  hath  numbered  thy  kingdom,  and  finished  it. 

TEKEL:  Thou  art  weighed  in  the  balances,  and  art  found 
wanting. 

UPHARSIN  :t  Thy  kingdom  is  divided,  and  given  to  the 
Medes  and  Persians. 

*  Here,  as  in  several  other  instances,  "  son  ''  is  used  for  "  grandson  "  ;  and 
"  father  "  is  used  for  "  grand  fat  y  er." 

+  In  interpreting,  Daniel  reads  peres,  which  is  the  singular  form  of  the 
word  of  which  pharsin  is  the  plural.  The  U  is  the  prefixed  conjunction 
"and."     (See  "Daniel:  Statesman  and  Prophet,"  pp.  171— 2.) 


40  IN  THA  T  NIGHT! 

How  the  word  of  doom  must  have  rung  through  the  palace 
that  night !  There  was  an  awful  warning.  Sinner,  it  is  for 
you.  What  if  God  should  put  you  in  the  balance,  and  you 
without  Christ  !  What  would  become  of  your  soul  ?  Take 
warning  by  Belshazzar's  fate. 

The  destruction  did  not  tarry.  The  king  thought  he  was 
perfectly  secure  :  he  considered  that  the  walls  of  Babylon  were 
impregnable.  But  "  in  that  night,"  at  the  very  hour  when 
Daniel  was  declaring  the  doom  of  the  king,  Cyrus,  the  conquer- 
ing Persian,  was  turning  the  Euphrates  from  its  regular  course 
and  channel,  and  was  bringing  his  army  within  those  gigantic 
walls :  the  guard  around  the  palace  is  beaten  back ;  the 
Persian  soldiers  force  their  way  to  the  banqueting-hall ;  and 
Belshazzar's  blood  flows  mingling  with  the  outpoured  wine 
upon  the  palace  floor. 

It  was  Belshazzar's  last  night.  One  short  chapter  gives  us 
all  we  know  of  that  young  monarch.  His  life  was  short.  The 
wicked  do  not  live  out  half  their  days.  An  impious  young 
man,  he  had  neglected  or  forgotten  the  holy  Daniel :  he  had 
set  aside  his  father's  counsellor  and  friend  :  he  had  turned 
away  from  the  best  adviser  and  most  faithful  servant  that 
Nebuchadnezzar  had  ever  had — one  who  probably  had  done 
more  than  any  one  else  to  build  up  and  consolidate  his  king- 
dom.    And  this  is  his  end. 

O  sinners,  take  warning :  Death  and  hell  are  right  upon 
you — death  and  hell,  I  say.  And  they  are  just  as  close,  it  may 
be,  as  was  the  sword  of  the  slayer  to  those  midnight  revellers. 


VI. 

THE  EDICT  OF  DARIUS. 

"To  establish  a  royal  statute,  and  to  make  a  firm  decree,  that 
whosoever  shall  ask  a  petition  of  any  god  or  man  for  thirty  days,  save 
of  thee,  O  king,  he  shall  be  cast  into  the  den  of  lions."     (Dan.  vi.  7.) 

E  find  tliat  Darius  —who  was  probably  one  of  the 
high  military  commanders  engaged  in  the  siege  of 
Babylon — takes  the  kingdom,  while  Cyrus  is  off 
'  conquering  other  parts  of  the  world.  As  soon 
as  he  attains  the  throne  he  makes  his  arrange- 
ments for  governing  the  country.  He  divides  the  kingdom 
into  one  hundred  and  twenty  provinces ;  and  he  appoints  a 
prince  or  ruler  over  each  province ;  and  over  the  princes  he 
puts  three  presidents  to  see  that  these  rulers  do  no  damage  to 
the  king,  and  do  not  swindle  the  government.  And  over  these 
three  he  places  Daniel,  as  president  of  the  presidents.  Very 
possibly  Darius  knew  the  man.  He  may  have  been  in  former 
days  at  the  court  of  Nebuchadnezzar;  and  if  so,  he  probably 
considered  Daniel  an  able  and  conscientious  statesman.  Any- 
how, the  king  either  knew,  or  was  told,  sufficient  to  justify  his 
confidence.  And  now  Daniel  is  again  in  office.  He  held  in 
that  day  the  highest  position,  under  the  sovereign,  that  any 
one  could  hold.  He  was  next  to  the  throne.  If  you  will  allow 
me  the  expression,  he  was  the  Bismarck  or  the  Gladstone  of  the 
empire.  He  was  Prime  Minister  j  he  was  Secretary  of  State ; 
and  all  important  matters  would  pass  through  his  hands. 


42  DANIEVS  ENEMIES. 

We  do  not  know  how  long  he  held  that  position.  But 
sooner  or  late  the  other  presidents  and  the  princes  grew  jealous, 
and  wanted  Daniel  out  of  the  way.  It  was  as  if  they  had  said, 
"  Let  us  see  if  we  cannot  get  this  sanctimonious  Hebrew 
removed  :  he  has  '  bossed '  us  long  enough."  You  see  he  was 
so  impracticable:  they  could  do  nothing  with  him.  There 
were  plenty  of  collectors  and  treasurers ;  but  he  kept  such  a 
close  eye  on  them  that  they  only  made  their  salaries.  There 
was  no  chance  of  plundering  the  government  while  he  was  at 
the  head.  He  was  president,  and  probably  all  the  revenue 
accounts  passed  before  him.  No  doubt  these  enemies  wanted 
to  form  a  "  ring."  And  they  may  have  talked  somewhat  after 
this  fashion :  "  If  it  were  not  for  this  man  we  could  form  a 
*  ring  ' ;  and  then,  in  three  or  four  years,  we  could  make  enough 
to  enable  us  to  retire  from  office,  and  have  a  villa  on  the  banks 
of  the  Euphrates ;  or  we  could  go  down  to  Egypt,  and  see 
something  of  the  world.  We  could  have  plenty  of  money — all 
we  should  ever  want,  or  our  children  either — if  we  could  only 
just  get  control  of  the  government,  and  manage  things  as  we 
should  like  to.  As  things  go  now  we  only  just  get  our  exact 
dues ;  and  it  will  take  years  and  years  for  them  to  mount  up  to 
anything  respectable.  If  we  had  matters  in  our  own  hands  it 
would  be  different ;  for  King  Darius  does  not  know  half  as 
much  about  the  affairs  of  this  empire  as  does  this  old  Hebrew : 
and  he  watches  our  accounts  so  closely  that  we  can  get  no 
advantage  over  the  Government.    Down  with  this  pious  Jew  !  " 

Perhaps  they  worked  matters  so  as  to  get  an  investigating 
committee,  hoping  to  catch  him  in  his  accounts.  But  it  was 
no  use.  If  he  had  put  any  relatives  in  office  unfairly  it  would 
have  been  found  out.  And  if  he  had  been  guilty  of  pecula- 
tion, or  in  any  way  broken  the  unalterable  laws  of  the  kingdom, 
the  matter  would  have  come  to  light. 

Now  I  want  to  call  your  attention  to  the  fact  that  one  of  the 
highest  eulogies  ever  paid  to  a  man  on  earth  was  pronounced 


"  NO  OCCASION  A  GAINST  HIM. "  43 

upon  Daniel  at  this  time  by  his  enemies.  These  men  were  con- 
nected with  the  various  })arts  of  the  kingdom,  and  on  laying 
their  heads  together  they  came  to  this  conclusion — that  they 
could  "  find  no  occasion  against  this  Daniel,  except  they  found 
it  against  him  concerning  the  law  of  his  God."  What  a 
testimony  from  his  bitterest  enemies  !  Would  that  it  could  be 
said  of  all  of  us  !  He  had  never  taken  a  bribe  :  hei  had  never 
been  connected  with  a  "ring"  :  he  had  never  planted  a  friend 
into  some  fat  office  with  the  design  of  sharing  the  plunder  and 
enriching  himself.  If  he  had  been  guilty  in  any  of  these  things 
these  scrutineers  would  have  found  it  out :  they  had  a  keen 
scent :  they  were  sharp  men  :  they  knew  all  about  his  actions 
and  his  history :  and  they  would  have  been  glad  to  have  found 
out  something  —  anything  —  which  would  have  led  to  his 
removal  from  his  high  position.  But  they  said — and  said 
with  regret:  "We  shall  not  find  any  occasion  against  him." 
Ah,  how  his  name  shines  !  He  had  commenced  to  shine  in  his 
early  manhood  ;  and  he  shone  right  along.  Now  he  is  an  old 
man,  an  old  statesman  ;  and  yet  this  is  their  testimony.  There 
had  been  no  sacrifice  of  principle  in  order  to  catch  votes ;  no 
buying  up  of  men's  votes  or  men's  consciences ;  no  "  counting 
in  "  or  "  counting  out."  There  had  been  none  of  that.  He 
had  walked  right  straight  along. 

Young  man,  character  is  worth  more  than  money.  Cha- 
racter is  worth  more  than  anything  else  in  the  wide  world. 
I  would  rather  in  my  old  age  have  such  a  character  as  that 
which  Daniel's  enemies  gave  him  than  have  raised  over  my  dead 
body  a  monument  of  gold  reaching  from  earth  to  sky.  I  would 
rather  have  such  a  testimony  as  that  borne  of  Daniel  than  have 
all  that  this  world  can  give. 

The  men  said,  "We  will  get  him  out  of  the  way.  We 
will  get  the  king  to  sign  a  decree;  and  we  will  propose  a 
penalty.  It  shall  not  be  the  fiery  furnace  this  time.  We 
will  have  a  lions'  den — a  den  of  angry  lions ;  and  they  will 


44  EVIL  COUNSEL. 

soon  make  away  with  him."  Probably  these  plotters  met 
at  night,  for  it  generally  happens  that  if  men  want  to  do 
any  downright  inean  business  they  meet  at  night  :  darkness 
suits  them  best.  The  chief-president  himself  was  not  there  : 
he  had  not  been  invited  to  meet  them.  Very  likely  some 
lawyer,  who  understood  all  about  the  laws  of  the  Medes  and 
Persians,  stood  up,  and  talked  something  after  this  fashion: 
*'  Gentlemen,  I  have  got,  I  think,  a  plan  that  will  work  well, 
by  which  we  may  get  rid  of  this  old  Hebrew.  You  know  he 
will  not  serve  any  but  the  God  of  Abraham  and  of  Isaac." 

We  know  that  very  well.  And  if  a  man  had  gone  to  Babylon 
in  those  days  he  would  not  have  had  to  ask  if  Daniel  loved  the 
God  of  the  Bible.  I  pity  any  man  who  lives  so  that  people 
have  to  ask,  "  Is  he  a  Christian  ?  "  Let  us  so  live  that  no  one 
need  ask  that  question  about  us.  These  men  knew  very  well 
that  Daniel  worshipped  none  other  than  the  God  of  the  Bible, 
the  God  of  the  Hebrews,  the  God  of  Abraham,  and  the  God 
of  Moses  ;  the  God  who  had  brought  His  people  Israel  out  of 
Egypt,  through  the  Red  Sea,  and  into  the  Promised  Land  : 
they  knew  that  very  well.  r 

And  these  plotters  said  one  to  another,  "  Now,  let  us  get 
Darius  to  sign  a  decree  that  if  any  man  make  a  request  of 
any  God  or  man—  except  of  the  King  Darius — for  thirty 
days,  he  shall  be  put  into  the  lions'  den.  And  let  us  all 
keep  perfectly  still  about  this  matter,  so  that  it  won't  get 
out.  We  must  not  tell  our  wives,  for  fear  the  news  may  get 
about  the  city  :  Daniel  would  find  it  all  out  ;  and  he  has  more 
inHuence  with  the  king  than  all  the  rest  of  us  put  together. 
The  king  v.^ould  never  sign  the  decree  if  he  found  out  what  the 
object  was."  Then  they  may  have  said,  "  We  must  draw  it  so 
tight  that  Darius  will  not  be  able  to  get  out  of  it  after  h^  has 
once  signed.  We  must  make  it  so  binding  that  if  the  king 
once  signs  we  shall  have  that  Daniel  in  the  lions'  den  :  and  we 
will  take  good  care  that  the  lions  shall  be  hungry." 


THE  DECREE.  45 

When  the  mine  is  all  ready,  the  conspirators  come  to  the 
king,  and  open  their  business  with  flattering  speech  :  "  King 
Darius,  live  for  ever  ! "  When  people  approach  me  with  smooth 
and  oily  words,  I  know  they  have  something  else  coming  -I 
know  they  have  some  purpose  in  telling  me  I  am  a  good  man. 
These  plotters,  perhaps,  go  on  to  tell  the  king  how  prosperous 
the  realm  is,  and  how  much  the  people  think  of  him.  And 
then,  perhaps,  in  the  most  plausible  way,  they  tell  him  that  if 
he  signs  this  decree  he  will  be  remembered  by  their  children's 
children — that  it  would  be  a  memorial  for  ever  of  his  greatness 
and  goodness.  "  What  is  this  decree  that  you  wish  me  to 
sign  ?  "  And  running  his  eye  over  the  document  he  says,  "  I 
don't  see  any  objection  to  that."  "  Will  you  put  your  signet  to 
it,  and  make  it  law  ?  "  He  puts  his  signature  to  the  decree, 
and  seals  it  with  his  seal.  And  one  of  ihem  says,  "  The  law 
of  the  Medes  and  Persians,  which  altereth  not?"  and  the 
king  answers,  "  Oh,  yes ;  the  law  of  the  Medes  and  Persians  : 
that  is  it."  In  the  pleasure  of  granting  the  request  of  these 
people  he  thinks  nothing  about  Daniel  :  and  the  presidents 
and  princes  carefully  refrain  from  jogging  his  memory.  They 
had  told  the  king  a  lie,  too ;  for  they  said,  "  All  the  presi- 
dents of  the  kingdom,  the  governors,  and  the  princes,  the 
ccMnsellors,  and  the  captains,  have  consulted  together  to 
establish  a  royal  statute  "  ;  although  the  chief-president  knew 
nothing  at  all  about  it. 

There  was  probably  a  long  preamble, '  telling  him  how 
popular  he  was ;  saying  that  he  was  liked  better  than  Nebu- 
chadnezzar or  Belshazzar.  They  most  likely  tickled  his  vanity, 
and  told  him  that  he  was  the  most  popular  man  that  had  ever 
reigned  in  Babylon  ;  and  then  they  may  have  gone  on  to  tell 
him  how  attached  they  were  to  him  and  his  rule,  and  that  they 
had  been  consulting  together  what  they  could  do  to  increase 
his  popularity  and  make  him  more  beloved ;  and  now  they 
had   hit  upon  a  plan  that  was  almost  sure  to  do  it.     They 


46  ''FOR  THIRTY  DAYS."* 

would  point  out  that  if  no  one  called  upon  any  god  for  thirty 
days,  but  only  on  him,  the  king,  making  him  a  god,  it  would 
render  him  the  most  popular  monarch  that  had  ever  reigned 
in  Babylonia ;  and  his  name  would  be  handed  down  to  pos- 
terity. And  if  he  could  get  men  to  call  upon  his  name  for 
thirty  days  they  would  probably  keep  it  up,  and  so  permanently 
reckon  him  among  the  gods. 

If  you  touch  a  man's  vanity  he  will  do  almost  anything ; 
and  Darius  was  like  most  of  the  human  race.  They  touched 
his  vanity  by  intimating  that  this  would  make  him  great.  He 
thought  it  a  very  wise  suggestion,  and  he  agreed  with  them 
exactly. 

It  was  not  only  Daniel  they  were  thus  going  to  get  out 
of  the  way,  but  every  conscientious  Jew.  There  was  not  a 
true  Jew  in  the  whole  of  that  wide  empire  who  would  bow 
down  and  worship  Darius  ;  and  these  men  knew  that :  and  so 
they  were  going  to  sweep  away  at  a  stroke  all  the  Jews  who 
were  true  to  their  faith.     They  hated  them. 

And  I  want  to  tell  you  that  the  world  does  not  love 
Christians  nowadays.  The  world  will  persecute  a  man  if  he 
attempts  to  live  the  life  of  a  true  Christian.  The  world  is  no 
friend  to  true  grace :  mark  that !  A  man  may  live  for  the  world, 
and  like  the  world,  and  escape  persecution.  But  if  the  world 
has  nothing  to  say  against  you,  it  is  a  pretty  sure  sign  that  God 
has  not  much  to  say  for  you  ;  because  if  you  do  seek  to  live  untO| 
Christ  Jesus  you  must  go  against  the  current  of  the  world. 

And  now  they  are  ready  to  let  the  news  go  forth ;  and  it  is 
not  long  before  it  spreads  through  the  highways  of  Babylon. 
The  men  of  the  city  knew  the  man  :  knew  that  he  would  not 
vacillate.  They  knew  that  the  old  man  with  the  grey  locks  would 
not  turn  to  the  right  hand  or  the  left :  they  knew  that  if  his 
enemies  caught  him  in  that  way,  he  would  not  deny  his  God 
or  turn  away  from  Him  :  they  knew  that  he  was  going  to  be 
true  to  his  God. 


MORAL  COURAGE.  47 

Daniel  was  none  of  your  sickly  Christians  of  the  nineteenth 
century  :  he  was  none  of  your  weak-backed,  none  of  your 
weak-kneed  Christians  :  he  had  moral  stamina  and  courage. 
I  can  imagine  that  aged  white-haired  Secretary  of  State  sitting 
at  his  table  going  over  the  accounts  of  some  of  these  rulers 
of  provinces.  Some  of  the  timid,  frightened  Hebrews  come 
to  him,  and  say  : 

"  Oh,  Daniel,  have  you  heard  the  latest  news  ?  " 

"  No.     What  is  it  ?  " 

"  What  !  have  you  not  been  to  the  king's  palace  this 
morning  ?  " 

"No  !  I  have  not  been  to  the  palace  to-day.  What  is  the 
matter  ?  " 

"  Well,  there  is  a  conspiracy  against  you.  A  lot  of  those 
princes  have  induced  King  Darius  to  sign  a  decree  that  if  any 
man  shall  call  upon  any  God  in  his  kingdom  within  thirty  days 
he  shall  be  thrown  to  the  lions.  Their  object  is  to  have  you 
cast  into  the  den.  Now  if  you  can  only  get  out  of  the  way 
for  a  little  time — if  you  will  just  quit  Babylon  for  thirty  days — 
it  will  advance  both  your  own  and  the  public  interest.  You  are 
the  chief  secretary  and  treasurer — in  fact,  you  are  the  principal 
member  of  the  government :  you  are  an  important  man,  and 
can  do  as  you  please.  Well  now,  just  you  get  out  of  Babylon. 
Or,  if  you  will  stay  in  Babylon,  do  not  let  any  one  catch 
you  on  your  knees.  In  any  case  do  not  pray  at  the  window 
which  looks  towards  Jerusalem ;  as  you  have  been  doing 
for  the  last  fifty  years.  And  if  you  will  pray,  close  that 
window,  draw  a  curtain  over  it ;  shut  the  door,  and  stop 
up  every  crevice.  People  are  sure  to  be  about  your  house 
listening." 

And  some  of  our  nineteenth  century  Christians  would 
have  advised  after  the  same  fashion  : — "  Cannot  you  find  out 
some  important  business  to  be  done  down  in  Egypt,  and 
so  take  a  journey   to  Memphis?    or  can   you  not   think  of 


48  FALSE  SHAME. 

something  that  needs  being  looked  after  in  Syria,  and  so  hurry 
off  to  Damascus  ?  Or,  surely  you  can  make  out  there  is  a  need 
for  your  going  to  Assyria,  and  you  can  make  a  stay  at  Nineveh. 
Or  why  not  get  as  far  as  Jerusalem,  and  see  what  changes 
fifty  or  sixty  years  have  wrought?  Any  way,  just  be  out  of 
Babylon  for  the  next  thirty  days,  so  that  your  enemies  may  not 
catch  you  :  for,  depend  upon  it,  they  will  all  be  on  the  watch. 
And,  whatever  you  do,  be  sure  they  do  not  catch  you  on  your 
knees." 

How  many  men  there  are  who  are  asliamed  to  be  caught 
upon  their  knees!  Many  a  man,  if  found  upon  his  knees 
by  the  wife  of  his  bosom,  would  jump  right  up  and  walk 
around  the  room  as  if  he  had  no  particular  object  in  view. 
How  many  young  men  there  are  who  come  up  from  the 
country  and  enter  upon  city  life,  and  have  not  the  moral 
courage  to  go  down  on  their  knees  before  their  room-mates  1 
How  many  young  men  say,  "  Don't  ask  me  to  get  down  on 
my  knees  at  this  prayer-meeting."  Men  have  not  the  moral 
courage  to  be  seen  praying.  They  lack  moral  courage.  Ah  ! 
thousands  of  men  have  been  lost  for  lack  of  moral  courage ; 
have  been  lost  because  at  some  critical  moment  they  shrank 
from  going  on  their  knees,  and  being  seen  and  known  as 
being  worshippers  of  God — as  being  on  the  Lord's  side.  Ah, 
the  fact  is — we  are  a  pack  of  cowards :  that  is  what  we  are. 
Shame  on  the  Christianity  of  the  nineteenth  century  !  it  is  a 
weak  and  sickly  thing.  Would  to  God  that  we  had  a  host  of 
men  like  Daniel  living  to-day  ! 

I  can  picture  that  aged  man,  with  his  grey  hairs  upon  him, 
listening  to  the  words  of  these  "  miserable  counsellors,"  who 
would  tempt  him  to  "  trim,"  and  "  hedge,"  and  shift — to  "  save 
his  skin,"  as  men  say,  at  the  cost  of  his  conscience.  And 
their  counsel  falls  flat  and  dead.  I  can  fancy  how  Daniel 
would  receive  a  suggestion  that  he  should  even  seemingly  be 
ashamed  of  the  God  of  his  fathers.     WjU  he  be  ashamed  or 


TIME  FOR  PR  A  YER.  49 

afraid  ?     Not  likely  !     You  know  he  will  not  ;  and  I  know  he 
will  not. 

"  They  will  be  watching  you  ;  they  will  have  their  spies  all 
around.  But  if  you  are  determined  to  go  on  praying,  shut  up 
your  window  \  close  all  your  curtains  ;  stop  up  the  keyhole,  so 
that  no  one  can  look  through  to  see  you  on  your  knees,  and 
so  that  no  one  can  overhear  a  single  word.  Accommodate 
yourself  just  a  little.     Compromise  just  a  little." 

That  is  just  the  cry  of  the  world  to-day  !  It  is,  "  Accommo- 
date yourself  to  the  times.  Compromise  just  a  little  here  ;  and 
deviate  just  a  little  there,  just  to  suit  the  opinions  and  views  of 
a  mocking  world."  Do  you  think  that  Daniel,  after  having 
walked  with  God  for  half  a  century  or  more,  is  going  to  turn 
round  like  that  ?     Ten  thousand  times,  No  ! 

True  as  steel,  that  old  man  goes  to  his  room  three  times  a 
day.     Mark  you,    he   had  time  to    pray.     There   is   many   a 
business  man  to-day  who  will  tell  you  he  has  no  time  to  pray  : 
his  business  is  so  pressing  that  he  cannot  call  his  family  around 
him,  and  ask  God  to  bless  them.    He  is  so  busy  that  he  cannot 
ask  God  to  keep  him  and  them  from  the  temptations  of  the 
present  life — the  temptations  of  every  day.     "  Business  is  so 
pressing."     I  am  reminded  of  the  words  of  an  old  Methodist 
minister  :  "  If  you  have  so  much  business  to  attend  to  that  you 
have  no  time  to  pray,  depend  upon  it  you  have  more  business 
on  hand  than  God  ever  intended  you  should  have."     But  look 
at  this  man.      He  had  the  whole,  or  nearly  the  whole,  of  the 
king's  business  to  attend  to.     He  was  Prime  Minister,  Secretary 
of  State,  and  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  all  in  one.      He  had 
to  attend  to  all  his  own  work ;  and  to  give  an  eye  to  the  work 
of  lots   of  other  men      And  yet  he   found  time  to  pray :  not 
just   now  and  then,    nor  once  in    a   way,    not  just    when  he 
happened  to    have  a  few  moments   to  spare,  mark  you — but 
"three  times  a  day."     Yes,  he  could  take  up  the  words  of  the 
fifty-fifth  Psalm,  and  say ; 

4 


50  DANIEVS  WINDOWS  OPEN, 

"  As  for  me,  I  will  call  upon  God  ; 
And  the  Lord  shall  save  me. 
Evening,  and  morning,  and  at  noon,  will  I  pray  and  cry  aloud ; 
And  He  shall  hear  my  voice." 

Busy  as  he  was,  he  found  time  to  pray.  And  a  man  whose 
habit  it  is  to  call  upon  God  saves  time,  instead  of  losing  it. 
He  has  a  clearer  head,  a  more  collected  mind,  and  can  act 
with  more  decision  when  circumstances  require  it. 

So  Daniel  went  to  his  room  three  times  a  day :  he  trod 
that  path  so  often  that  the  grass  could  not  grow  upon  it.  1 
would  be  bound  to  say  those  plotters  knew  whereabouts  he 
would  be  going  to  pray  :  they  knew  the  place  where  Daniel's 
prayer  was  wont  to  be  made ;  and  they  were  sure  they  should 
find  him  there  at  his  usual  hours.     And  now  again  he  has 

"a  purpose  firm. 
And  dares  to  make  it  known." 

He  goes  to  pray  as  aforetime  ;  and  /le  has  his  ivi7idows  open. 
Like  Paul,  in  later  days,  he  "knew  whom  he  had  believed"; 
like  Moses,  he  "  saw  Him  who  is  invisible."  He  knew  whom 
he  worshipped.  There  was  no  need  to  trace  back  the  church 
records  for  years  to  find  out  whether  this  man  had  ever  made 
a  profession  of  religion.  See  him  as  he  falls  upon  his  knees. 
He  is  not  careful  to  inquire  whether  there  are  any  outsiders, 
or  whether  they  can  hear.  In  tones  not  one  atom  softer  or 
quieter  than  his  custom,  he  pours  out  his  prayer  to  the  God 
of  his  life ;  to  the  God  of  his  people ;  to  the  God  of  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob.  He  does  not  omit  to  pray  for  the  king.  It 
is  right  to  pray  for  our  rulers.  If  we  cease  praying  for  our 
rulers,  our  country  will  go  to  pieces.  The  reason  they  are  not 
better  is  oftentimes  because  we  do  not  pray  for  them.  Does 
Daniel  pray  to  Darius  ?  Not  he  !  He  prays  for  Darius,  but 
not  to  him. 

There  are  men  listening  there  near  the  open  window :  the 
hundred  and  twenty  princes  have  taken  good  care  of  that. 


LISTENERS,  51 

They  themselves  are  their  own  witnesses,  and  some  of  them 
gather  together  as  listeners,  so  doing  their  own  vile  work  If 
there  had  been  any  newspaper  reporters  in  that  day,  how 
anxious  they  would  have  been  to  have  got  hold  of  every  word 
of  that  prayer  !  Give  them  the  smallest  chance ;  and  they  would 
have  taken  it  down,  and  telegraphed  it  all  over  the  world,  inside 
of  twenty-four  hours. 

After  Daniel  has  prayed,  "and  given  thanks," — ^^ given 
thanks,^'  mark  that ! — he  goes  out,  and  walks  along  the  street 
with  a  firm  step.  He  is  undaunted.  If  it  be  the  will  of  God 
that  he  shall  pass  from  earth  to  heaven  by  the  way  of  the  den 
of  lions,  he  is  prepared  for  that.  God's  presence  is  with  him. 
Like  Enoch,  he  bore  within  himself  this  testimony — "  that  he 
pleased  God." 

Do  you  see  the  Hebrevr  captive  kneeling, 
At  morning,  noon,  and  night,  to  pray  ? 

In  his  chamber  he  remembers  Zion, 
Though  in  exile  far  away. 

Do  not  fear  to  tread  the  fiery  furnace, 

Nor  shrink  the  lions'  den  to  share ; 
For  the  God  of  Daniel  will  deliver. 

He  will  send  His  angel  there. 

Children  ot  the  living  God,  take  courage, 

Your  great  deliverance  sweetly  sing ; 
Set  your  faces  toward  the  hill  of  Zion, 
^  Thence  to  hail  your  coming  King  ! 

Are  yoir  windows  open  toward  Jerusalem, 
Tbonarli  as  captives  here  "  a  littlo  while  "  we  stay? 

For  the  coiiiiug  of  the  Kini?  in  His  glory. 
Are  you  watching  day  by  day. 


VII. 

THE  DEX  OE  LIOXS. 

"Then  the  king  commanded,  and  ihey  brought  Daniel,  and  cast  him 
into  the  den  of  lions  "  (Dan.  vi.  i6). 

HERE  must  have  been  great  excitement  in  the  city 
then :  all  Babylon  knew  that  this  man  was  not 
going  to  swerve.  They  knew  ver)-  well  that  this  old 
statesman  was  a  man  of  iron  will ;  and  that  it  was 
not  at  all  likely  he  would  yield.  The  lions'  den  had 
few  terrors  to  him.  He  would  rather  be  in  the  lions'  den  with 
God,  than  out  of  it  without  Him.  And  it  is  a  thousand  times 
better,  friends,  to  be  in  the  lions"  den  with  God,  and  hold  to 
principle — than  to  be  out  of  it,  and  have  money,  but  no  prin- 
ciple. I  pity  those  men  who  have  gained  their  money  dis- 
honestly :  I  pity  those  men  who  have  obtained  their  positions 
in  life  dishonestly ;  I  pity  any  politician  who  has  acquired  his 
office  dishonestly  -  how  his  conscience  will  lash  him  at  times  ! 
And  how  the  Word  of  God  lashes  such  !  "  Your  gold  and 
silver  is  cankered ;  and  the  rust  of  them  shall  be  a  witness 
against  you,  and  shall  eat  your  flesh  as  it  were  flre.''  It  does 
not  pay  to  be  false ;  it  pays  to  be  true.  It  is  best  to  be 
honest;  even  if  it  means  having  ver)*  little  money  in  our 
pocket,  and  very  little  position  in  the  world.  It  is  best  to 
have  God  with  us,  and  to  know  that  we  are  on  the  right  side. 

I  venture  to  say  that  man  Daniel  was  worth  more  than  any 
other  man  Darius  had  in  his  empire — yes,  worth  more  than 


THE  LAW  OF  THE  MEDES  AND  PERSIANS.  53 

forty  thousand  men  who  wanted  to  get  him  out  of  the  way. 
He  was  true  to  the  king.  He  prayed  for  him  ;  he  loved  him  ; 
and  he  did  for  that  king  everything  he  could  that  did  not 
conflict  with  the  law  of  his  God. 

And  now  the  spies  rush  off  to  the  king,  and  cry, 
**0  Darius,  live  for  ever  !     Do  you  know  there  is  a  man  in 
your  kingdom  who  will  not  obey  you  ? '' 

"  A  man  who  won't  obey  me  !     Who  is  he  ?  " 
"Why,  that   man   Daniel.     That   Hebrew  whom  you  set 
over  us.     He  persists  in  calling  upon  his  God." 

And  the  moment  they  mention  the  name  of  Daniel,  a 
frown  arises  upon  the  king's  brow ;  and  the  thought  flashes  into 
his  mind  :  "  Ah  !  I  have  made  a  mistake  :  I  ought  never  to 
have  signed  that  decree  I  might  have  known  that  Daniel 
would  never  '  call '  upon  me.  I  know  very  well  whom  he  serves  : 
he  serves  the  God  of  his  fathers.''  So,  instead  of  blaming 
Daniel  he  blames  himself:  instead  of  condemning  Daniel  he 
condemns  himself.  And  then  he  casts  about  in  his  mind  as  to 
how  he  could  manage  to  preserve  him  unharmed.  All  that 
day,  if  you  could  have  looked  into  the  palace,  you  would  have 
seen  the  king  walking  up  and  down  the  halls  and  corridors, 
greatly  troubled  with  the  thought  that  this  man  must  lose  his 
life  before  the  sun  sets  on  that  Chaldaean  plr.in  ;  for  if  Daniel 
were  not  in  the  lions'  den  by  sundown  the  law  of  the  Medes 
and  Persians  would  be  broken  :  and  come  what  will,  that  law 
must  be  observed  and  kept. 

Darius  loved  Daniel ;  and  he  sought  in  his  heart  to  deliver 
him.  All  day  he  sought  for  some  plan  by  which  he  might 
save  Daniel,  and  yet  preserve  the  Median  law  unbroken.  But  he 
did  not  love  Daniel  as  much  as  your  King  loved  you  :  he  did 
not  love  him  as  much  as  Christ  loved  us  :  for  if  he  had  he 
would  have  proposed  to  have  gene  into  the  lions'  den  in  his 
stead.  Let  us  remember  that  Christ  "  tasted  death  "  for  us. 
I  can  imagine  those  plotters  having  a  suspicion  as  to  the  king's 


54  DANIEL  CAST  INTO  THE  DEN. 

feelings;  and  saying  to  him,  "  If  you  hreak  the  law  which  you 
yourself  have  made,  respect  for  the  laws  of  the  Medes  and 
Persians  will  be  gone :  your  subjects  will  no  longer  obey  you; 
and  your  kingdom  will  depart  from  you."  So  Darius  is  at  last 
compelled  to  give  him  up ;  and  he  speaks  the  word  for  the 
officers  to  seize  him  and  take  him  to  the  den.  And  his 
enemies  would  take  good  care  that  the  den  is  filled  with  the 
hungriest  beasts  in  Babylon. 

You  might  have  seen  those  officers  going  out  to  bind  that 
old  man  with  the  white  flowing  hair :  they  march  to  his 
dwelling;  and  they  bind  his  hands  together.  And  those 
Chaldaean  soldiers  lead  captive  the  man  who  a  few  hours  before 
ranked  next  to  the  king;  the  noblest  statesman  Babylon  had 
ever  possessed.  They  guard  him  along  the  way  that  leads  to 
the  lions'  den.  Look  at  him  as  he  is  led  along  the  streets. 
He  treads  with  a  firm  and  steady  step,  bearing  himself  like  a 
conqueror.  He  trembles  not.  His  knees  are  firm  :  they  do 
not  smite  together.  The  light  of  heaven  shines  in  his  calm 
face.  And  all  heaven  is  interested  in  that  aged  man.  Dis- 
graced down  here  upon  earth,  he  is  the  most  popular 
man  in  heaven.  Angels  are  delighted  in  him  :  how  they  love 
him  up  there  !  He  had  stood  firm  ;  he  had  not  deviated  ;  he 
had  not  turned  away  from  the  God  of  the  Bible.  And  he 
walks  with  a  giant's  tread  to  the  entrance  of  the  lions'  den ; 
and  they  cast  him  in.  They  roll  a  great  stone  to  the  mouth  of 
the  den ;  and  the  king  puts  his  seal  upon  it.  And  so  the  law 
is  kept. 

Daniel  is  cast  into  the  den ;  but  the  angel  of  God  flies 
down,  and  God's  servant  lights  unharmed  at  the  bottom.  The 
lions'  mouths  are  stopped :  they  are  as  harmless  as  lambs. 
And  if  you  could  have  looked  into  that  den,  you  would  have 
found  a  man  as  calm  as  a  summer  evening.  I  do  not  doubt 
that  at  his  wonted  hour  of  prayer  he  knelt  down  as  if  he 
had  been   in  his   own  chamber.      And   if  he  could  get  the 


DARIUS  FASTS  THAT  NIGItT.  55 

points  of  the  compass  in  that  den,  he  prayed  with  his  face 
toward  Jerusalem.  He  loved  that  city ;  he  loved  the  temple : 
and  probably  with  his  face  toward  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  he 
prayed  and  gave  thanks.  And  later  on  I  can  imagine  him  just 
laying  his  head  on  one  of  the  lions,  and  going  to  sleep  :  and  if 
that  were  so,  no  one  in  Babylon  slept  more  sweetly  than  Daniel 
in  the  den  of  lions. 

But  there  ,was  one  man  in  Babylon  who  had  no  rest  that 
night.  If  you  could  have  looked  into  the  king's  palace,  you 
would  have  seen  one  man  in  great  trouble.  Darius  did  not 
have  in  his  musicians  to  play  to  him  that  night.  Away  with 
music  and  singing  !  There  was  no  feast  that  night :  he  could 
eat  nothing.  The  servants  brought  him  dainty  food  ;  but  he 
had  no  appetite  for  it.  He  felt  troubled  :  he  could  not  sleep. 
He  had  put  in  that  den  of  lions  the  best  man  in  his  kingdom  ; 
and  he  upbraided  himself  for  it.  He  said  to  himself,  "  How 
could  I  have  been  a  party  to  such  an  act  as  that?" 

And  early  in  the  morning  — probably  in  the  grey  dawn, 
before  the  sun  has  risen — the  men  of  Babylon  could  have 
heard  the  wheels  of  the  king's  chariot  rolling  over  the  pave- 
ment ;  and  King  Darius  might  have  been  seen  driving  in  hot 
haste  to  the  lions'  den.  I  see  him  alight  from  his  chariot  in 
eager  haste,  and  hear  him  ciy  down  through  the  mouth  of 
the  den  :  "  O  Daniel,  servant  of  the  living  God,  is  thy  God, 
whom  thou  servest  continually,  able  to  deliver  thee  from  the 
lions  ?  " 

Hark!  a  voice  gives  answer— why,  it  is  like  a  resurrection 
voice  — and  from  the  depths  come  up  to  the  king's  ear  the 
words  of  Daniel :  "  O  king,  live  for  ever  !  My  God  hath  sent 
His  angel,  and  hath  shut  the  lions'  mouths,  that  they  have  not 
hurt  me  :  forasmuch  as  before  Him  innocency  was  found  in 
me  ;  and  also  before  thee,  O  king,  have  I  done  no  hurt." 

The  lions  could  not  harm  him.  The  very  hairs  of  his  head 
were  numbered.     I  tell  you,  that  whenever  a  man  stands  by 


56  '' NO  MANNER  OF  HURT!'' 

God,  God  will  stand  by  him  .  It  was  well  for  Daniel  that  he 
did  not  swerve.  Oh,  how  his  name  shines  !  What  a  blessed 
character  he  was  ! 

The  king  gives  command  that  Daniel  should  be  taken  up 
out  of  the  den.  And,  as  he  reaches  the  top,  I  fancy  I  see  them 
embracing  one  another  ;  and  that  then  Daniel  mounts  the  king's 
chariot,  and  is  driven  back  with  him  to  the  royal  palace.  There 
were  two  happy  men  in  Babylon  that  morning.  Most  likely 
they  sat  down  at  meat  together,  thankful  and  rejoicing. 

"  No  manner  of  hurt  was  found  upon  him.''  The  God  who 
had  preserved  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abednego,  in  the  fiery 
furnace,  so  that  "  no  smell  of  fire  had  passed  on  them,''  had 
preserved  Daniel  from  the  jaws  of  the  lions. 

But  Daniel's  accusers  fared  very  differently.  So  to  speak, 
they  "  digged  a  pit  for  him  ;  and  are  fallen  into  it  themselves." 
The  king  orders  that  Daniel's  accusers  shall  be  delivered  to 
the  same  ordeal.  And  they  were  cast  into  the  den  ;  "  and  the 
lions  had  the  mastery  of  them,  and  brake  all  their  bones  in 
pieces  or  ever  they  came  at  the  bottom  of  the  den." 

Young  men,  let  us  come  out  from  the  world ;  let  us  trample 
it  under  our  feet ;  let  us  be  true  to  God;  let  us  stand  in  rank, 
and  keep  step,  and  fight  boldly  for  our  King  !  And  our 
''crowning  time  "  shall  come  by  and  by.  Yes,  the  reward  will 
come  by  and  by;  and  then  it  may  perhaps  be  said  of  one, 
or  another,  of  us  :  "  O  man,  greatly  beloved  !  "  Young  men, 
your  moral  character  is  more  than  money,  mark  that !  It  is 
worth  more  than  the  honour  of  the  world  :  that  is  fleeting, 
and  will  soon  be  gone.  It  is  worth  more  than  earthly  position  : 
that  is  transient,  and  will  soon  be  gone.  But  to  have  God 
with  you,  and  to  be  with  God — what  a  grand  position  !  It  is 
an  eternal  inheritance. 

I  should  like  to  say  a  few  more  words  about  Daniel.  If 
you  will  r'^fer  to  the  tenth  chapter,  you  will  read  th^.t  an  angel 


"  A  MAN  GREA TL  Y  BELOVED, "  5^? 

came  to  him,  and  told  him  he  was  "  a  man  greatly  beloved." 
Another  angel  had  on  a  previous  occasion  brought  him  a 
similar  message.  Many  are  of  opinion  that  the  one  described 
in  the  tenth  chapter  as  appearing  to  Daniel  is  none  other  than 
the  one  "  like  unto  the  Son  of  Man,"  who  visited  John  when 
he  was  banished  to  the  Isle  of  Patmos.  People  thoug  t  that 
John  was  sent  off  to  that  island  by  himself;  but  no  !  the  angel 
of  God  was  with  him.  And  so  it  was  with  Daniel,  taken  from 
his  own  country  and  his  own  peoi)le.  Here  in  this  chapter  we 
read :  "  Then  I  lifted  up  mine  eyes,  and  looked  ;  and  behold 
a  certain  man  clothed  in  linen,  whose  loins  were  girded  with 

fine  gold  of  Uphaz And  he  said  unto  me,  O  Daniel, 

a  man  greatly  beloved,  understand  the  words  that  I  speak 
unto  thee  ;  and  stand  upright :  for  unto  thee  am  I  now  sent." 

It  was  Daniel's  need  that  brought  this  angel  from  the  glory- 
land.  And  it  was  the  Son  of  God  right  by  his  side  in  that  city 
of  Babylon.  As  I  said  before,  that  was  the  second  time  the 
word  had  come  to  him  that  he  was  "greatly  beloved."  Aye, 
and  even  three  iifnes  did  a  messenger  come  from  the  throne  of 
God  to  tell  him  this. 

I  love  that  precious  verse  in  the  eleventh  chapter  :  "  The 
people  that  do  know  their  God  shall  be  strong,  and  do  exploits." 
And  also  those  two  verses  of  the  twelfth  chapter  :  "  Many  of 
them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake :  some  to 
everlasting  life  ;  and  some  to  shame  and  everlasting  cjntempt. 
And  they  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the 
firmament ;  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness,  as  the 
stars  for  ever  and  ever." 

This  was  the  consolation  the  angel  bore  to  Daniel ;  and 
great  consolation  it  was.  The  fact  concerning  all  of  us  is  that 
we  like  to  shine.  There  is  no  doubt  about  that  Every 
mother  likes  her  child  to  shine.  If  her  boy  shines  at  school  by 
getting  to  the  head  of  his  class,  the  proud  mother  tells  all  the 
neighbours  ;  and  she  has  a  right  to  do  so. 


58  "AS  THE  STARS." 

But  it  is  not  the  great  of  this  world  who  will  shine  the 
brightest.  For  a  few  years  they  may  shed  briglit  li^bt :  but 
they  go  out  in  darkness  ;  they  have  no  inner  light.  Shining  for 
a  time,  they  go  out  in  the  blackness  of  darkness  Where  are 
the  great  men  who  did  not  know  Daniel's  God?  Did  they 
shine  long  ?  Why,  we  know  of  Nebuchadnezzar  and  the  rest 
of  them  scarcely  anything,  except  as  they  fill  in  the  story  about 
these  humble  men  of  God.  We  are  not  told  that  statesmen 
shall  shine :  they  may  for  a  few  days  or  years ;  but  they  are 
soon  forgotten.  Look  at  those  great  ones  who  passed  away  in 
the  days  of  Daniel.  How  wise  in  council  they  were  !  how 
mighty  and  victorious  over  many  nations  !  what  gods  Upon 
earth  they  were  !  Yet  their  names  are  forgotten,  and  written 
in  the  sand.  Philosophers,  falsely  so-called,  do  they  live  ? 
Behold  men  of  science — scientific  men,  they  call  themselves — 
going  down  into  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  hammering  away  at 
some  rock,  and  trying  to  make  it  talk  against  the  voice  of 
God.  They  shall  go  down  to  death  by  and  by ;  and  their 
names  shall  rot.  But  the  man  of  God  shines.  Yes,  it  is  he 
who  shall  shine  as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever.  This  Daniel 
has  been  gone  for  2,500  years  ;  but  still  increasing  millions 
read  of  his  life  and  actions.  And  so  it  shall  be  to  the  end. 
He  will  only  get  better  known  and  better  loved  ;  he  will  only 
shine  the  brighter  as  the  world  grows  older.  Of  a  truth, 
"  they  that  be  wise  "  and  "  turn  many  to  righteousness  "  shall 
shine  on,  like  stars,  to  eternity. 

And  this  blessed,  thrice  blessed,  happiness,  of  shining  in 
the  glory,  is  like  all  the  blessings  of  God's  kingdom,  for  every 
one.  Even  without  the  least  claim  to  education  or  refinement 
you  can  shine  if  you  will.  A  poor  working  man,  or  a  poor  sailor 
before  the  mast,  can  shine  for  ever,  if  he  only  works  for  the  King- 
dom of  God.  The  Bible  does  not  say  the  great  shall  shine,  but 
'*they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness."  A  false  impression  has 
got  hold  of  many  of  Gods  people.     They  have  formed  the  idea 


"  TO  EVERY  MAN  HIS  WORK. "  $9 

that  only  a  few  can  speak  on  behalf  of  God.  If  anything  is  to  be 
done  for  the  souls  of  men,  nine-tenths  of  the  people  say,  "  Oh, 
the  ministers  must  do  it."  It  does  not  enter  into  the  thoughts 
of  many  people  that  they  have  any  part  in  the  matter.  It  is  the 
devil's  work  to  keep  Christians  from  the  blessed  privilege  of 
winning  souls  to  God.     Any  one  can  do  this  work. 

Do  you  not  see  how  that  little  mountain  rill  keeps  swelling 
till  it  carries  everything  before  it  ?  Little  trickling  streams  have 
run  into  it  till  now,  a  mighty  river,  it  has  great  cities  on  its 
banks,  and  the  commerce  of  all  nations  floating  on  its  waters. 
So  when  a  single  soul  is  won  to  Christ  you  cannot  see  the 
result.  A  single  one  multiplies  to  a  thousand  ;  and  the  thou- 
sand into  ten  thousand.  Perhaps  a  million  shall  be  the  fruit. 
We  cannot  tell.  We  only  know  that  the  Christian  who  has 
turned  "  many  to  righteousness"  shall  indeed  shine  for  ever  and 
ever.  Look  at  those  poor,  unlettered  fishermen,  the  disciples 
of  Jesus.  They  were  not  learned  men,  but  they  were  great  in 
winning  souls.  And  there  is  not  a  child  but  can  work  for  God. 

The  one  thing  that  keeps  people  from  working  for  God  is 
that  they  have  not  the  desire  to  do  so.  If  a  man  has  this  desire 
God  soon  qualifies  him.  And  what  we  want  is  God's  qualifica- 
tion :  it  must  come  from  Him. 

In  our  large  meetings  there  are  frequently  three  thousand 
Christians  present.  Would  it  be  too  much  to  expect  if  these 
were  living  in  communion  with  Christ  that  they  should  each 
lead  one  soul  to  the  Lord  within  a  month  ?  The  Son  of  God 
gave  His  life  for  them — shall  they  refuse  to  work  for  Him 
when  He  supplies  the  needed  power  ?  What  results  should 
we  see  in  souls  saved  if  every  one  did  his  or  her  work.  How 
many  times  have  I  watched  at  the  close  of  a  meeting  to  see 
if  Christians  would  speak  to  the  sorrowing  ones.  If  we  only 
had  open  eyed  watchers  for  souls  there  would  be  multitudes  of 
inquirers  where  now  there  are  individual  cases.    Every  church 


6o 


WORKING  FOR  GOD. 


would  need  an  inquiry  meeting  after  every  gospel  service, 
and  these  inquiry  rooms  would  be  crowded.  These  inquiring 
ones  are  at  every  meeting,  just  anxious  to  have  warm-hearted 
Christians  lead  them  to  Christ.  They  are  timid,  but  will 
always  listen  to  one  speaking  to  them  abor.t  Christ.  Let  the 
prayer  of  every  Christian  be,  "Oh  God,  give  me  souls  for  my 
hire."  What  would  be  the  result  if  this  were  the  case  with 
us  ?  Multitudes  would  be  sending  up  shouts  of  praise  to 
God,  and  making  heaven  glad.  Where  there  is  an  anxious 
sinner,  there  is  the  place  for  the  Christian. 


"WHAT  ART  THOU  DOING?" 


*'  What  art  thou  doing,  Christian? 
Is  it  work  for  Christ  thy  Lord? 
Art  thou  winning  many  sinners 

By  thy  life,  thy  jjcn,  thy  word  ? 
When  the  solenni  question  com- 
'eth, 
What  will  thine  answer  be ? 
Canst    thou    point    to    something 
finished  ? — 
Saying — "Lord,  my  work  for 
Thee  ! " 

"  What  doest  thou  in  service? — 

Art  thou  taking  active  part  ? 
Are  life  and  tongue  in  earnest, 

Outflow  of  loving  heart  ? 
Or  art  thou  idly  gazing 

While  others  toil  and  sow, 
Content  with  simply  praising 

The  earnestness  they  show  ? 


"  What  doest  thou,  redeemed  one, 
Child  of  a  mighty  King? 
W^hat  glory  to  thy  P'ather 

Doth      thy     princely     bearing 
bring? 
If  no  one  brought  Him  honour, 
And  no  one  gave  Him  praise, 
To  thee  it  appertaineth 
The  pcean-note  to  raise. 

•'  What  doest  thou  here?      Where* 
ever 
Thine  earthly  lot  be  cast, 
Oh,  let  each  hour  and  moment 
In  gladsome  work  be  passed  ! 
Here  !    thou    may'st    do    a    life- 
work  ; 
Here  !  thou  may'st  win  a  crown, 
Starlit  and  gem-surrounded. 
To  cast  before  the  throne." 

Eva  Tk avers  Poole. 


IMllllili  I  imffl  F.^'  Seminary   Libraries 


1    1012  01235  4637 


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